Cartography of the advancement of cities over rivers in Goiás

Abstract

The objectives of this article are to present the centrality of the rivers in the process of construction of cities, and to analyze the cartography of the advance of the cities over the rivers in Goiás state. To achieve these goals we've accomplished a literature overview and the elaboration of maps of use and occupation of the land, through geoprocessing.The article is part of a macro research called Urban Rivers: the advance of the cities underwater courses in Goiás state, from the Program of Regional Scientific and Technological Development (PDCTR), from the Foundation of Support to Research in the state of Goiás (Fapeg) in partnership with the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Aiming to embrace the state of Goiás, for this research six (6) watercourses and cities in different mesoregions of Goiás were selected, such as Córrego Barreiro/Porangatu/North of Goiás state; Córrego Jataí/Jataí/South of Goiás state; Rio Preto/Formosa/West of Goiás state; Rio das Almas/Ceres and Rialma/Middle of Goiás state; Rio Araguaia/Aruanã/Northwest of Goiás state and Rio Vermelho/Cidade de Goiás/Northwest of Goiás state. As a result, we’ve verified a constant state of war against the native peoples, where they were – and continue to be – excluded from their ancestors’ territories. Thus, the problematization is: Is there riparian protection in the “urban rivers” in Goiás state, a predominant area of Cerrado? Throughout the research, we’ve concluded that the studied cities don’t keep or protect the riparian forests, which are fundamental for the protection of the watercourses, for the habitability of the people in the cities, and for life itself. 

Keywords: Rivers and cities relation. Use and Occupations of the Land Maps. Mesoregions of Goiás state.