The water resources management and the drought in Western Santa Catarina: Contribution for a systemic and complex analysis

Abstract

The systemic approach emerged from the difficulty in using the analytical approach to explain complex phenomena that were influenced by the context and the interrelationships. Complex systems are represented by dynamic situations in which problems change when interacting with other problems. They illustrate a problematic situation where it is difficult to express the causes and consequences, as it presents interdependent and continuous multi-causalities characteristics. Aspects initially noted as causes, turn into effects and vice versa. The symptoms and the problem are indissociable and the solutions produce unintended consequences. These aspects apply to the problem of drought and water resources management. Therefore, this article aims to present an initial conceptual sketch of a systemic analysis of the problem of drought. The data were collected during the survey entitled "Drought in Western Santa Catarina: Assessment and Resilience" and were the basis for this preliminary systemic investigation. Specifically, three systems archetypes presents the "history of classical systems" as they promote the understanding and identification of reinforcing and balancing loops; two sketches of general diagrams and a consolidated causal loop diagram representing the result of the initial analysis. The study’s challenge was the limits definition that is a part of systems approach, while facing a limited access to information. As a learning system, each analysis brings new information and allows different interpretations of the problems and solutions of drought.