Diagnóstico ambiental do rio Maracujá.

The Maracuja river belongs to the Upper Course of the Velhas river, inserted into Bacao Complex, Quadrilatero Ferrifero, region of large deposit of iron ore, manganese, gold, and precious gems, whose discovery drew the mining development, especially in the east side of the state. The location of Maracuja river favored two local points of development: the mining of imperial topaz, as self subsidize, and agro-farming, in the city of Ouro Preto. Aiming to diagnosis the damages suffered by the Maracuja river along its course and around, a series of bibliographical research was made besides in loco researches as to natural aspects and provoked ones. Two campaigns were monitored according to the physico-chemical and biological aspects concerning the climate regimen of the region. The reduction of aquatic life was identified by monitoring the communities of amphibians and benthic macroinvertebrates. In the absence of sewage treatment system and actions directed to the welfare of the community are a consequence of the lack of public policies geared to health and environmental management. The impact on the volume of water exposes the ecosystem in the use of its natural resources. The cost of that liability is felt when the river Maracuja evidences to be one of the first polluters of the Velhas river. The degradation suffered by its ground channel and its around were identified: sedimentation, rectification, absence of sewage treatment, damaging the biodiversity and water contamination. The fragmentation of habitats is a response to the impacts and environmental degradation, responding to natural and anthropogenic interference that affect this entire ecosystem.