Brasília - The São Francisco River Valley integration project developed by the Ministry of National Integration plans to interconnect this river, which is one of Brazil's most constant, with other river basins known for being dry most of the year. "One of them, the Jaguaribe, in the state of Ceará, is considered the world's driest river," declares one of the Ministry's geologists, Juliana Sarti Roscoe.

The São Francisco, which is 2.7 thousand kilometers long, has its headwaters in the Canastra mountains in the municipality of São Roque de Minas, in the state of Minas Gerais, and crosses five states before flowing into the ocean. The mouth lies between the states of Sergipe and Alagoas.

The water to integrate the basins will be collected along a stretch between the Sobradinho and Itaparica dams, in the state of Pernambuco. With the help of two canals, pumping stations, small reservoirs, and mini-hydroelectric stations to provide energy for the system, the water will feed rivers and reservoirs in municipalities in semi-arid and sub-humid transition zones in Pernambuco and the metropolitan area of Fortaleza, capital of Ceará.

For the São Francisco River Valley integration project to become a reality, the National Council on Water Resources (CNRH) needs to approve it in plenary session, with all the members of the council present.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Juliana Cézar
Translator: David Silberstein
12/01/2004