Abstract
The state of Pará, located within the world’s largest freshwater watershed, stands out for its environmental and socioeconomic relevance. The Itacaiúnas River Watershed (IRW), located in this region, faces major challenges due to extensive deforestation and intensive land use, primarily driven by agricultural, mining, and logging activities. Although protected areas exist, the use of water resources remains poorly understood, with notable discrepancies between the number of wastewater discharge permits and surface and groundwater withdrawals, resulting in significant numbers of irregular water abstractions, favoring the increase of illegal exploitation of natural resources and water contamination.
Water management in the region lacks adequate structure and efficient integration. The application of forensic sciences to the study of water resources in the IRW emerges as an indispensable tool for addressing environmental crimes in the region. Techniques such as detailed mapping and data analysis make it possible to identify critical areas, assess the impacts of anthropogenic activities, including illegal deforestation, pollution, and land use changes, and provide accurate information to support offender accountability.
The maps generated by this study are highly important because they not only identify the regions most affected by environmental crimes but also provide concrete evidence to mitigate or even remediate such impacts. These visual and scientific findings can guide monitoring actions, biodiversity conservation initiatives, and the development of more effective public policies, promoting integrated and sustainable management of the IRW.