The main purpose of this work was to evaluate the water quality of Belem River with two complementary strategies: the use of the National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index and the application of perceptive protocols (Human Intensity Index and Habitat Value Index). To access the water quality, 10 points at the main river channel as well as the estuary of its 13 main tributaries were selected. The WQInsf results showed a gradual loss of the water quality from the headwater to its mouth mainly due the presence of domestic effluents from the more densely populated areas located near the center of the city. The application of perceptive protocols showed more variable but predictable results indicating its potential as complementary methods of evaluation.
Belem River; water quality; environmental perception
