Urban stream rehabilitation in a densely populated Brazilian metropolis

Environmental rehabilitation of urban streams has been widely applied in Global North countries, at least since the 1970s, but it is a recent approach South countries. The objective this paper to evaluate whether experience carried out 2006 three stream sites third-largest Brazilian metropolis (c. 5.5 million inhabitants) was and continues be effective terms socio-environmental improvement after 10 years interventions. These interventions included watercourses (e.g., water quality through management sewage garbage, stabilization riverbanks, revegetation riparian zones, riverbed naturalization, removal riverbank housing). We evaluated quality, physical habitat structure, benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages test sampling periods: pre-intervention (2004–2005), early post-intervention (2008–2011) late (2018–2019). Additionally, reference-stream (2018–2019) were assessed compare conditions tested versus reference sites. also citizen perceptions concerning questionnaires given residents post-rehabilitation (215 2008, 180 2019). results monitoring showed significant most parameters used calculate Water Quality Index (WQI) intervention phase, WQI scores have improved since. indicators indicated moderate improvements. increased appreciation environmental improvements over years. Given Belo Horizonte, we believe that implementation evaluation similar projects programs aimed rehabilitating are technically viable using our approaches throughout South.