Deforestation in Matopiba region threatens the water supply of more than 300 cities

Deforestation in the Matopiba region, comprised by portions of the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí and Bahia, may jeopardize the water supply of at least 373 cities, according to a study released on Wednesday (22) by the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (Ipam) and MapBiomas. The analysis published with Agência Pública brings data on five river basins, and indicates that the flow of rivers in the Cerrado, the Brazilian  may fall by up to 34% by 2050 due to the loss of native vegetation.

The basins of the Tocantins, São Francisco, Parnaíba, Itapecuru and Araguaia rivers, which had the highest deforestation rates in 2022, are fundamental for the water supply of urban and rural populations. The consequences for water quality and the risk of water shortages may be even greater than the 373 municipalities pointed out in the analysis.