APPLYING A SUSTAINABILITY INDEX TO THE JAPARATUBA RIVER WATERSHED IN SERGIPE STATE

Sustainability indexes are important tools in water resource management. The aim of the current study is to calculate the sustainability index of the Japaratuba River watershed, Sergipe State, Brazil. The Japaratuba River watershed comprises a 1.687,67 km2 area. The watershed sustainability index (WSI) has taken into consideration hydrographic, environmental, life, and political dimensions, according to the pressure-state-response methodology. The WSI value was 0.66. Such value indicates that the watershed shows intermediate sustainability level. The indexes showing the lowest scores were the quantitative hydrological index, which is related to water availability per capita, and the qualitative hydrological index, which is related to the wastewater treatment in the cities belonging to the watershed region.