EVALUATION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF RIO PREGUIÇAS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BARREIRINHAS, MARANHÃO, BRAZIL

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the environmental conditions of the Preguiças River in Barreirinhas, Maranhão, Brazil, through environmental analyzes carried out through the application of the instrument known as the Rapid Assessment Protocol. The tool entitled “Rapid Assessment Protocol” consisted of an instrument to assess the environmental conditions of water bodies, with variable characteristics and scores (0, 1, 2 and 4 points) for each aspect assessed. This research had as object of study three main points of the problematized river: Port of Avenida Beira Rio (Point - 1), Porto do Amapá (Point - 2) and Porto do São Domingos (Point - 3), where, according to the scores reached at the end of the application of the evaluation form, you can make the classifications of the excerpts studies as: Impacted section: 0 to 11 points; Altered stretch: 12 to 22 points and Natural stretch: 23 to 44 points. With regard to the results raised, point 1 can be classified as “Excerpt with environmental change”, as it presents negative scores in most aspects studied. The other areas evaluated received the status of Natural Stretch, despite having some negative aspects at certain times. Point 1 presented characteristics that, despite having already driven certain concerns, it is still possible to reverse. With regard to the other studied locations, they did not show major aspects that lead to immediate degradation of the water body emphasized here, however, if the variants worsen, it may be that there is a greater commitment to the mentioned aquatic environment.