Regiões Hidrograficas – Centro Estratégico de Excelência em Politicas de Águas e Secas

Water Resources Plans for the Hydrographic Regions of Ceará

The Chief Scientist Program – Water Resources, conceived by FUNCAP (Ceará Foundation for Scientific and Technological Development), aims to develop and update the Water Resources Plans for the 12 hydrographic regions of the state of Ceará. The plans are intended to guide the implementation of the State Water Resources Policy, addressing both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of water use.

These plans are one of the management tools outlined in both national and state water resources legislation. They contain physical, socioeconomic, and environmental characteristics of the watersheds and define actions related to water resources, such as management, projects, programs, and investments. The plans are developed or updated with a medium- and long-term perspective and are aligned with regional planning, helping to implement programs and projects. Actions and strategies are proposed to improve water security and reduce conflicts over water resource use.

The foundation of the plans proposes the analysis of elements such as the assessment of droughts and floods, the collection of information on the structure of water demand and issues related to environmental sanitation, the understanding of environmental problems such as the siltation of reservoirs, deforestation in Permanent Preservation Areas (APP), the unplanned growth of communities and urban centers, and irregular settlements. The construction of the plan combines two main principles: the production of technical information about the watersheds, linked to political coordination with the Basin Committees (CBH) of each region and their active participation in decision-making regarding the plans. In this way, it aligns with the principles of decentralization and participation outlined in water resources legislation.