Assessment of the Macroscopic Aspects of Córrego das Pedras Sub-basin, in Ouro Verde de Goiás, Goiás, Brazil

Centro Universitário de Anápolis - UniEVANGÉLICA, Brazil

Abstract: Hydrographic Basins can be defined as natural geographic units adequate for establishing use and management plans, monitoring and assessing human interference in the environment. In order to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by anthropic activities, and consequently to protect the water resources, the Payment for Environmental Services (PSA – initials in Portuguese) program was created, which goals include providing of financial payment to rural producers who contribute to the protection and recovery of springs found within their properties, thus generating benefits for the Hydrographic Basin and for society. Within this scenario, the Ribeirão João Leite Water Producer Project (PPARJL – initials in Portuguese) in the state of Goiás, created by the National Water Agency is a program that aims to remunerate all the environmental services rendered in Hydrographic Basins of great strategic relevance, being an effective mechanism for encouraging the adoption of practices and management actions aimed at improving quality and quantity of water resources. In this perspective, an environmental diagnosis of the springs located at the rural properties that have adhered to the PPARJL was prepared, in the Córrego das Pedras Sub-Basin (Serra do Sapato Arcado micro-basins), in the municipality of Ouro Verde de Goiás, state of Goiás, through a macroscopic assessment (visual), assessing several macroscopic parameters to identify the IIAN (Index of Environmental Impact on the Springs) and determine their degree of preservation. It was observed that 43.75% of the assessed springs had a degree of protection classified as poor, 37.50% were acceptable, 6.25% were good and 12.50% were excellent. The parameters that had the greatest positive contribution in the calculation of the IIAN were the absence of waste, floating matter, foams, oils and sanitary pollution, in 100% of the springs these parameters were absent. The parameters that had the greatest negative interference in the calculation of the IIAN were the access of animals within the springs and in the APP (initials in Portuguese for Permanent Protection Area), due to the lack of protection in those areas.