Compiled by Salatiel Alves of Araújo, all reserved rights © 1996
Stage heated discussions between the environmentalists and the government of the states and of the countries that compose the Swampland, Hidrovia Paraguai-Paraná has been objective of countless accusations and, besides the strategic and economic importance of the project, little technician-scientific publications have been published with the purpose of to condemn or to eulogize the project. It is a project seeking the fluvial connection of Porto of Cáceres in Mato Grosso - Brazil, to Nueva Palmira's Porto in Uruguay, perfazendo approximately 3.400 Km and an esteemed cost of construction in the strip of US$ 1,3 billion, financed by the Interamerican Bank of Development (BID) and for the Program of the United Nations for the Development (PNUD). Such connection today is partially made unfeasible for embarkations of medium the great load, because the conditions of sailing of the rivers are not adequadas.As works they foresee rectifications and lowering of the bed of the river Paraguay besides explosions of rocks and construction of dikes in the tributaries. According to the Organization No-government World Fund for the Nature, the works foreseen for to Paraguay-Paraná they would lower the sheet of water that floods the area in 25 centimeters, turning several dry areas.
Environmental impacts
Although the study of environmental impact is not still concluded the works they already began in many points of the course of the hidrovia. Such events place in risk the fauna and the flora of the Swampland because the effects of these same works were at least pointed or lifted by the authorities and involved technicians. Even so ONG's already emits some opinions I respect it. Dentre these opinions can stand out: - the modification of the plan and of the original depth of the rivers it can alter the regime of waters of the area; - the demolition of rocky soleiras as middle of deepening the sailing channel not coulded more to subject great areas to the seasonal flood; - the superficial escoamento would increase with the improvement of the channels of the rivers, could cause the intensificação of the full ones reducing the drought periods and provoking regional climatic changes consequently.
Social impacts
In agreement with some ONG's these changes in the ecosystem could interfere in the communities' of fishermen life, peasants and Indians. In the area cut by the hidrovia they live, at least, the Indian bororos, Guaranis, terenas and guatós. The representative of the indigenous groups of the area, Indian Marta Guarani in interview done in 1994 the Leaf of São Paulo, said that the communities are concerned: They will move with our life and knots we are not being consulted. Our rivers are already polluted with mercury and now the ships " will begin
Strategic and Economic advantages
As part of the politics of integration Latin-American e/ou of Mercosul, the hidrovia is of vital importance to the involved countries, once the cost of transport of loads and victuals suffer a considerable fall when done by the hidrovia, besides accentuating the exchange of products considerably among the countries. Such fall in the transport price could bring development for the areas previlegiadas for the hidrovia, even so, either a meticulous study of that beneficial impact was made for the involved areas. Some studious ones also affirm that the culture of the soy would just be benefitted by the hidrovia and that projects as Ferronorte would be competitive of the hidrovia once he/she also has the objective of facilitating the soy transport. Many studious they also defend that, if the concern is for the generation of employments and of revenue, the fishing can generate employments at the same time that the tourism in the Swampland generated in the year of 1993 US$ 30 million with the 100 thousand tourists' movement.
Computer science, Consulting and Training Paiaguás
Salatiel
Alves of Araújo - Geologist and Specialist in Remote Sensory
Comments for the author: salatiel@nutecnet.com.br
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