Integração e Pactuação na elaboração de Planos de Recursos Hídricos em Bacias Interfederativas: o caso da bacia do rio Paraíba do Sul

Abstract

Federal Law nº. 9.433/1997, a historic landmark in the management of water resources in Brazil, created the Integrated Water Resources Management System and instituted the National Water Resources Policy. In addition, it defined the watershed as a planning unit and the participation of different levels of government, users and civil society in the decision-making process. The adoption of these measures created, especially for the management of inter-federative basins, those with Federal and State domain waters, a peculiar and often conflicting scenario due to the different understandings and policies existing there. Within the scope of water resources planning, the challenges are the same, since this occurs at the Federal, State and hydrographic basin levels. Putting decentralized and shared management into practice, as well as building integrated plans between the different entities of the water resources system, are challenges that can be mitigated through the creation of institutional strengthening environments, conducive to the articulation and agreement of interests. The present dissertation contemplates a broad discussion about water resources planning in Brazil, considering the difficulties imposed by the dual domain of water. To encourage discussions, a methodology was developed for critical analysis of water resources planning in inter-federative basins, which was applied in the case study of the Paraíba do Sul River basin. The analysis carried out considered the integration strategies adopted in the conception and elaboration of the Integrated Water Resources Plano f the interfederative basin and the Plans of its tributary basins. With this, it was possible to verify advances, gaps and suggest recommendations. In the analysis of the case study, a qualitative approach was used, based on the author's professional experience, participant observation, document analysis and conversations with key actors. Finally, the research found that the integration strategies used in the Paraíba do Sul River basin can be used as an example to be adopted, adapted, and improved for the elaboration of other Water Resources Plans in inter-federative basins, once the articulation, the negotiation of interests, agreement on responsibilities and the generation of common objectives and consensus proved to be extremely necessary for the construction of integrated plans.