Watershed Level Sustainable Development Index in Rondônia, Western Amazon

Abstract

Objective: to build a sustainable development index for the river basins of Rondônia, using factor analysis as an analytical model. Method: factor analysis was used as a tool for building environmental, economic, social and institutional performance indices. The adapted FECAM classification scale was adopted to express the results achieved by each river basin. Results: The set of current sustainable performance indices for the Mamoré River watersheds (0.444) was considered a low index, although the best compared to other basins; the Madeira River (0.419, low index); the Guaporé River (0.378, low index); the Machado River (0.289, low index); the Jamari River (0.307, low index) and the Roosevelt River (0.227, low index). There has been a really insignificant improvement in the rates from 10 years ago. Conclusions: the factor analysis showed efficiency as a multivariate statistical method in the construction of sustainable development indices for the river basins of Rondônia. The management of watersheds is still very ineffective, despite being regulated by state law. It is highly recommended to institutionalize regional public policies in the form of a Master Plan for the Rondônia Watershed.