Table 3 Timeline of the historical events leading to the modification of the lower Capibaribe River
Decade | Event or activity | Consequences | Description | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1980-1989 | Community established (1980) | Occupation of land once used as sugarcane plantations | Clean river | Bathing |
Plantations of okra and cassava | Uninformed | Washing clothes and dishes | ||
Discharge of “juice” from the Tiúma sugar refinery | Bad-smelling water, fish mortality, and capture of intoxicated fish. | Many fish | Drinking water | |
Increase in the number of houses (1987) | Initial population growth | Fishing | ||
1990-1999 | Tiúma refinery closes (1994) | Discharge of “juice” ends | Clean river (until 1998) | Uninformed |
Fish stocking in adjacent areas (1994) | Appearance of carpa, tambaqui, and cará-trovão | Many fish (until 1998) | ||
Flood (1994) | Destruction of houses | |||
Streets paved (1998) | Uninformed | River begins to “get much worse” (1998/1999) | ||
Major growth in the size of the community (1998/1999) | Increase in the discharge of sewage, garbage and dead animals into the river | |||
2000-present day | Garbage truck collection begins on a regular basis (2000) | Reduction in the discharge of solid refuse into the river | River polluted since 2000 | Uninformed |
Houses built (2000) | Increase in the discharge of sewage into the river | |||
Dicharge of a “juice” of unknown origin (2002) | Uninformed | |||
Appearance of the beta, known as the “sewage fish” (2004) | Uninformed | |||
Flood (2011) | Destruction of houses |