The trajectory of Mogi-guaçu watershed committee and its contributions to the management of water resources

Abstract

Watershed Committees constitute a permanent normative and deliberative collegiate, where representatives from segments of society belonging to the basin meet to discuss problems resulting from different uses of water resources, suggesting solutions and defining actions to preserve the quantity and quality of water. In this context, this paper presents the trajectory, the structure, the functioning of Mogi-Guaçu Watershed Committee (CBH-Mogi) and its importance as a managing agency of water resources. For this purpose, we used literature and a collection of documents in print and digital archives of the Executive Secretariat of CBH-MOGI. Besides the official documents of state government, we also consulted Relatório Zero, the Plan of CBH-Mogi watershed, the compilation of the Legislation on Water Resources of the São Paulo State and the Reports of Water Resources situation. The results indicate the importance and impacts resulting from the creation of basin management institutions and the Integrated Management of Water Resources. The analysis of projects approved by CBH-MOGI shows a disparity of resources among the municipalities that compose its area of operation. Due to this fact, the committee must develop a management process, with the purposes of defining and achieving goals that are able to associate sustainability targets.