Historical Trajectory of Water Uses in the Upper Paraná River Basin (Brazil)

Brazil is located in South America, has 12% of the fresh water available on the planet, and is in first place of countries with the highest amount of this resource. The Paraná River is the second largest river in Brazil, 4,880 km long, with a drainage basin of 820,000 km2. The Upper Paraná River Basin is part of La Plata River Basin and occupies 10% of the Brazilian territory, being characterized as the most populous region with a great demand for water. Studying the distribution of water resources related to the occupation of the territory is important for its sustainable use. Based on a review of the literature, we observed that this river was initially used as a route to transport silver from Bolivia, but several native peoples lived on its banks and used its waters for navigation, fishing and irrigation. Currently, its waters are used for human and animal consumption, navigation, electricity generation, leisure, and fishing. The study of land and water use from the original peoples to the present day shows how this region was developed and will contribute to understanding the social, economic, political, and environmental relations of different historical periods and the problems associated with water in contemporary times.