A LITTLE ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF THE INLAND WATERS IN THE NORTHERN OF RIO DE JANEIRO STATE: CYANOBACTERIAL BLOOMS IN THE LOWER PARAÍBA DO SUL RIVER

Abstract

The 1993 inauguration of UENF (Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro) has made research on aquatic ecosystems in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro State a reality, most notably that pertaining to the lower Paraíba do Sul River (PSR) and associated ecosystems (e.g. mangroves, coastal lagoons and coastal zone). These researches were, in part, leveraged by the scientific training provided by Dr Francisco Esteves. Within the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, the PSR has been monitored with biweekly samplings since 1994 by UENF in a long-term project highlighting the river’s role in supplying water for 90% of the municipality’s population. However, potamological conditions such as low outflow and eutrophication have fostered episodic cyanobacterial blooms, especially during the dry season. One such event caused water supply interruptions in the municipalities located in the lower PSR basin, a fact that highlights the importance of pluriannual monitoring of its hydrochemical conditions.