Given the scarcity of water in some parts of the world, several Strategies were created to guarantee the population's access to this resource. Among these strategies, the river crossing, which has as its main objective to take water from a place rich to another poor in this resource.
THE river crossing it has been carried out since antiquity, but it has intensified nowadays due to the lack of water for the population and for the animals. Although the idea seems simple and justifiable, the environmental damage caused by the transfer of water from one region to another are immense.
Among the most significant environmental impacts, we can mention the logging. In general, the transposition works are large and occupy several hectares of land for the project to proceed. This destruction of fauna and flora resulting from deforestation causes an enormous environmental impact, which may accelerate the process of extinction of many species.
In addition to killing several species, the transposition ends
preventing migration of some animals between environments, which until then were well preserved. Although most of the works foresee the creation of connection points between one environment and another, this alternative often ends up not being viable, leading to a reduction in biodiversity.THE habitat destruction caused by deforestation can also put the health of a population at risk, since species leave their places of origin and can invade the homes of residents of those areas. Spiders, snakes and scorpions, for example, can cause serious accidents when looking for new housing.
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Deforestation can also aggravate the problem of desertification in some areas. This is a point much debated by researchers who analyze the Transposition of the São Francisco River, since there are areas where this process is quite advanced. At these points, it is impossible to plant native species, which makes the government's plans to minimize environmental impacts difficult.
The transposition of rivers also favors the emergence of erosive processes, mainly in areas that are already suffering from desertification, as is the case of the Brazilian Northeast.
At aquatic biological communities are also affected by changing the course of rivers, especially those in the receiving basins. Normally, it is expected that there will be a change in the entire composition of these communities and a decrease in the number of species. The risk arising from the introduction of exotic species is also a point to be analyzed.
Pollution is also among the environmental problems arising from the transposition of rivers. The new canals attract the population and industries, which end up throwing waste into the water, causing pollution.
In addition to all the negative environmental impacts generated by these works, the transposition projects also affect the social life of the entire population in these areas, and not always in a beneficial way. Therefore, it is essential for the population to know the transposition works well and analyze all the impacts they will cause on their lives and on the environment.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Environmental impacts of river transposition"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/impactos-ambientais-transposicao-rios.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
