Variações da qualidade da água de chuva e de açudes armazenada em cisternas em municípios do semiárido do estado da Paraíba / Variations in the quality of rainwater and fluvial reservoirs stored in cisterns in municipalities of the semiarid region of Paraíba State

RESUMO Neste trabalho são apresentadas a evolução temporal de parâmetros de qualidade e a análise de conformidade da água armazenada em cisternas nos municípios de Barra de Santana, Boqueirão e Caturité, no semiárido do estado da Paraíba. A água armazenada nas cisternas estudadas é oriunda da chuva e dos açudes Epitácio Pessoa, na região do Cariri, e Araçagi, na região do Brejo. Foram analisados os valores dos parâmetros pH, turbidez, condutividade elétrica, sólidos totais dissolvidos, alcalinidade total, cor aparente, dureza total, cloretos, amônia, sulfato, nitrato, coliformes totais, coliformes termotolerantes, Escherichia coli e bactérias heterotróficas, com frequência mensal nos meses de fevereiro a outubro de 2017, em plena seca de 2011/2017. Foram observadas variações relevantes nos parâmetros da água oriunda dos açudes, principalmente do açude Epitácio Pessoa, em decorrência do aporte de água do rio São Francisco por meio do Projeto de Integração do Rio São Francisco com as Bacias do Nordeste Setentrional (PISF). Os resultados indicaram que não houve variações consideráveis nos parâmetros da água de chuva armazenada nas cisternas. Diferentemente das cisternas com águas de açudes, houve conformidade em relação à Portaria nº 5/2017 do Ministério da Saúde para todos os parâmetros físicos e químicos analisados nas cisternas com água de chuva.

Abstract In this work, the temporal evolution of quality parameters and the analysis of the conformity of water stored in cisterns in the municipalities of Barra de Santana, Boqueirão, and Caturité in the semi-arid state of Paraíba are presented. The water stored in the cisterns studied comes from rain and from Epitácio Pessoa fluvial reservoirs in the region of Cariri and Araçagi in the region of Brejo. The parameters analyzed were: pH, turbidity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, total alkalinity, apparent color, total hardness, chlorides, ammonia, sulfate, nitrate, total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli, and heterotrophic bacteria, with monthly frequency in the months of February to October 2017, in the midst of the 2011/2017 drought. Relevant variations were observed in the parameters of the water coming from fluvial reservoirs, mainly from Epitácio Pessoa due to the water supply of the São Francisco river through the São Francisco River Integration Project (Projeto de Integração do Rio São Francisco - PISF). The results indicated that there were no significant changes in rainwater storage parameters in cisterns. Unlike cisterns with water from fluvial reservoirs, there was compliance in relation to Ordinance No. 5/2017 of the Ministry of Health for all the physical and chemical parameters analyzed in cisterns with rainwater.

Reconstrucción histórica de la precipitación en la Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo, México, mediante anillos de crecimiento en Taxodium mucronatum (Cupressaceae) / Historical precipitation reconstruction of El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Mexico, using Taxodium mucronatum (Cupressaceae) annual growth rings

Introducción: El conocimiento histórico del clima es fundamental para analizar su variabilidad en el tiempo y su impacto en los ecosistemas y poblaciones humanas. Objetivo: Analizar el crecimiento anual de los árboles de sabino, también conocido como ahuehuete (Taxodium mucronatum) del río Sabinas para reconstruir la variabilidad de precipitación histórica en la Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo, Tamaulipas, México. Métodos: Se fecharon los crecimientos anuales de 116 muestras de sabino, a partir de las cuales se desarrolló una cronología de 544 años (1474-2017). El periodo que sustentó un número de muestras adecuado para el análisis climático se extiende de 1550 a 2017 (468 años). Resultados: Con base en el análisis de función respuesta se determinó que la precipitación de invierno-primavera (noviembre-mayo) influyó de manera significativa en el crecimiento de los sabinos en el área de estudio (r= 0.77, P < 0.001). La reconstrucción registró una variabilidad climática alta a nivel interanual y entre décadas, en la cual, se identificó la presencia de sequías a principios y finales de cada siglo, así como la presencia de sequías extremas cíclicas cada 50 años. Estas sequías destacaron por su impacto social y económico a nivel nacional y regional. Las sequías más importantes son el "Año Uno Conejo" de acuerdo con el calendario Azteca, en 1558; la sequía de1696 con un impacto fuerte en el noreste de México; "El Año del Hambre" en 1785-1786, en la Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo desde 1784; la sequía de 1801 que trajo consigo la escasez de alimentos; la de 1951 dentro del periodo de "Migración masiva del sector rural"; y la sequía más reciente, registrada en 2011. Las lluvias extremas más representativas sucedieron en 1756 y 1816. Conclusiones: De seguir el patrón de precipitación registrado en la Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo, es posible esperar la presencia de sequías extremas a mediados y finales del siglo XXI.

Introduction: Historical knowledge of climate is essential to analyze its variability over time, as well as its impact on natural ecosystems and human populations. Objective: To analyze the annual growth of the sabino trees, also known as ahuehuete trees (Taxodium mucronatum) from the Sabinas River to reconstruct the historical variability of precipitation in El Cielo Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Methods: The annual growth of 116 sabino samples was dated to develop a chronology of 544 years (1474-2017). The period that admitted a series of samples suitable for climate analysis extends from 1550 to 2017 (468 years). Results: Based on the analysis of the response function, it was determined that the winter-spring precipitation (November-May) significantly influenced the radial growth of sabinos in the study area (R= 0.77, P < 0.001). The reconstruction recorded high climatic variability at interannual and interdecadal levels, in which the presence of droughts was identified at the beginning and end of each century, as well as the presence of extreme cyclical droughts every 50 years. These droughts stood out for their social and economic impact at the regional and national level. The most important droughts are the "Año Uno Conejo" ("Year One Rabbit") according to the Aztec calendar in 1558. In 1696 with a strong impact in Northern Mexico. "El Año del Hambre" ("The Year of Hunger") in 1785-1786. Also, the drought of 1801 that brought alongside food shortages. 1951 within the period of "Mass migration of the rural sector"; and the most recent drought, recorded in 2011. The most representative extreme rainfalls occurred in 1756 and 1816. Conclusions: If the precipitation pattern registered at El Cielo Biosphere Reserve continues, it is possible to expect the presence of extreme droughts in the mid and late 21st century.

Policy Implications of Droughts and Floods Adaptation on Household Crop Production and Food Security in Southern Malawi.

Aims: This paper quantified the contribution of drought and flood related adaptation strategies on household food production and food security. Place and Duration of Study: It was conducted in lowland and highland areas of southern Malawi and data was collected from randomly sampled households using a semi-structured questionnaire. Methodology: The paper employed a Translog production function and a Tobit model to determine the effects of drought and flood related adaptation strategies on food production and food security. About 1000 households were randomly selected to participate in the household survey. Fifty percent of the respondents were from lowland areas while the remaining 50% was from highland areas of Southern Malawi. Results: Results show that households in the study area adapted through irrigation farming, income-generating activities, crop diversification and shifting planting dates. Irrigation farming significantly increased food production by 8% and 6% and improved food availability by 24% and 19% in low and highland areas, respectively (p<0.05). On the other hand, shifting crop-planting dates reduced food production by 24% and 37% and food availability by 20% and 11% at 5% level of significance in low and highland areas, respectively. Conclusion: This paper concluded that adaptation strategies have very interesting and significant policy implications on household crop production and food security. It is therefore suggested that decisions by policy/decision makers on household food production and availability should strive at mainstreaming droughts and floods related adaptation.