Watershed management varies greatly across the world. Local conditions are generally dictated by how watershed management is regulated at national, regional, and local scales. Both multisectoral and community-based participatory involvement in watershed management can positively impact the quality and effectiveness of outcomes. This localization can also be vital to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In recent years, the term “sustainability” has become overused, has limited quantifiable meaning, and can create “fuzzy” targets. We suggest that an outcome that focuses on “thrivability” is more appropriate; this refers to the ability to not only sustain positive conditions for future generations but to create conditions that allow for all living things (present and future) to have the ability and opportunity to thrive. A thrivability approach aligns with the 2030 Agenda’s ultimate goal: prosperity for all beings on earth. This study uses a thrivability lens to compare two study sites. Primary and secondary data were collected for both the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), Canada, and Hydrographic Region VIII (HR-VIII), Brazil, and have been input and analyzed through our Thrivability Appraisal to determine each region’s watershed thrivability score. The Thrivability Appraisal uses seven sustainability principles as the overarching framework. These are then related to four individual subcomponents of watershed health and three common interest tests based on primary environmental perception and secondary technical data as inputs. Assuming the centricity of water for prosperity, the final scoring is a culmination of the 49 total indicators. A comparison is then drawn to the regions’ capacity to achieve the eight targets for UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. The outcome illustrates each region’s water management strengths and weaknesses, allowing for lessons to be learned and transferred to other multijurisdictional watersheds.

This work aims to carry out a survey on municipal legislation and other legal management instruments, related to the control and mitigation of urban floods and inundations in medium-sized municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. In this context, 22 municipalities in the range between 100 and 500 thousand inhabitants were surveyed. Among the results obtained, it was found that only 13 municipalities had specific municipal legislation to mitigate the effects of inundations and urban floods. Approximately 59% of the analyzed municipalities had municipal legislation oriented to the local reality. There is a need to increase public policies and government incentives for the expansion of legal provisions in the municipalities analyzed.

Objective: To investigate areas susceptible to flooding and inundation, testing the hypothesis that the accumulation of surface water does not depend exclusively on fluvial flood pulses. Theoretical Framework: Anthropogenic actions have played a significant role in modifying natural physiography, especially through urbanization and occupation of environmentally sensitive areas. These interventions have a direct impact on the dynamics of natural processes, highlighting the need to understand local hydrogeomorphology in order to ensure efficient territorial planning. Methodology: The research comprised a multi-criteria analysis involving hydrological, geomorphological, land use and occupation data associated with precipitation data for a small municipality. This municipality has urban development in the area of influence of a main river in its catchment area. Results and Discussion: Around 52% of the municipality is urbanized with 95% on slopes ranging from 0 to 23º, upstream of a cumulative flow of 18,000. Rainfall is 1366 mm/year and tends to decrease, although there has been a 62% increase in flooding in recent years. Around 75% of the urbanized area is vulnerable to pluvial flooding, while the rest is subject to both pluvial flooding and fluvial flood pulses. Research Implications: Insights into how the results can influence urban planning practices, extending to the fields of hydrogeomorphology and land use and occupation management. Originality/Value: The methodology is simple and accessible to small municipalities and urban planning entrepreneurs. Its relevance is evidenced by the fact that it improves urban planning, minimizing socio-economic and environmental costs.

Objective: This paper presents an indicator system called "thrivability appraisal", developed based on the systemic view of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This system combines seven dimensions of sustainability with principles of integrated and participatory water management. Theoretical Framework: The deprivation of resources, functions, and ecosystem services, which play a crucial role in the well-being and sustainability of communities, represents a challenge for development as established by the Millennium Summit. The publication of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda defined seventeen SDG, with the aim of promoting prosperity for all human populations. In the face of this challenge, water stands out as an essential chemical component for life, as well as for the health, well-being, and economic prosperity of populations. SDG 6 specifically addresses this issue, recognizing it as fundamental not only to achieve sustainability at the local, regional, and global levels but also to promote prosperity. Method: The thrivability appraisal methodology is based on an indicator system composed by 49 parameters chosen according to Ostrom’s seven sustainability principles. Secondary data from technical and academic documents were analyzed, complemented by primary data obtained through the environmental perception of representatives from the Watershed Committee of the IXth Hidrographic State Region (RH-IX). Results and Discussion: Water resources management sustainability evaluation in RH-IX revealed the existence of considerable challenges, as well as the need to strengthen participatory governance. Research Implications: The research showed that thrivability appraisal can be an important tool to suport decision-making definitions of the Committee.

O objetivo deste artigo foi fazer uma caracterização espaço-temporal da qualidade da água da Lagoa de Cima (LC), no município de Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ, através da aplicação do IQA-NSF e da análise estatística multivariada dos seus parâmetros. As amostras foram coletadas em 2 saídas de campo, sendo 6 pontos localizados na lagoa, 1 ponto no rio Imbé e 1 ponto no rio Urubu, seus tributários. As análises físico-químicas e microbiológicas foram realizadas no LabFoz, laboratório do Polo de Inovação Campos dos Goytacazes/IFFluminense. O IQA-NSF foi calculado em planilha de Excel, utilizando as fórmulas da média ponderada e do produtório ponderado. A primeira saída de campo (S1) aconteceu em 16/04/2019, com precipitação acumulada nos 30 dias anteriores de 40 mm, onde quase todos os pontos apontaram qualidade “boa”, exceto um ponto que apresentou qualidade “razoável” ao utilizar a fórmula do produtório. A segunda saída (S2) ocorreu em 01/10/2019, com precipitação acumulada de 72,8 mm no mês anterior. Esta apresentou melhores resultados, entre “ótima” e “boa”, e dois pontos com qualidade “razoável”. O maior volume de água devido às chuvas pode ter sido um fator contribuinte para a melhoria na qualidade da água, pois há uma maior dissolução na carga de poluentes.

Resumo: O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar os estudos apresentados nos relatórios agroambientais desenvolvidos nas comunidades quilombolas fluminenses, assim como entender sua metodologia de elaboração, a fim de compreender como o INCRA (Instituto Nacional de Colonização e Reforma Agrária) avalia as questões agronômicas e ambientais. A abordagem metodológica utilizada foi a pesquisa documental e bibliográfica, principalmente através dos Relatórios Técnicos de Identificação e Delimitação das comunidades: Alto da Serra Mar, Botafogo, Cabral, Caveira, Cruzeirinho, Marambaia, Santa Rita do Bracuí, Santana e São Benedito, cedidos pelo INCRA. Foi demonstrada preocupação com a sustentabilidade ambiental e cultural ao longo da elaboração desses documentos. Seus modelos mais recentes (Marambaia e Santa Rita do Bracuí) foram produzidos em 2015 e são os mais completos do ponto de vista de observância à legislação pertinente. Verificou-se que a agricultura nessas comunidades é incipiente, sendo utilizada para o consumo próprio, vendendo-se o excedente. Das 2.890 comunidades autodeclaradas quilombolas junto à Fundação Cultural Palmares, somente 167 estão regularizadas pelo INCRA, portanto, é importante que sejam realizados estudos a respeito da elaboração desses relatórios, pois, legalmente, outras entidades em convênio com este órgão podem elaborar tais documentos.Palavras-Chave: Relatório Agroambiental; INCRA; Agricultura Familiar