Land and Water

TAILINGS MANAGEMENT

The affected region covers 670 km of watercourses and was divided into 17 sections. Renova Foundation defined the most appropriate actions and techniques for the repair of each one, based on the specific indicators of each part, such as volume, thickness, and characteristics of the tailings, in addition to the environmental conditions.

• By now, actions have been defined for stretches corresponding to Mariana’s route to the Barra Longa border.
• On the stretch of the Gualaxo do Norte river, between the Camargo and Santarém streams, the renaturalization process (placement of logs on the river bed to reestablish favorable environmental conditions to the aquatic biota) was initiated.

• In the Gualaxo do Norte river, a pilot project for the Natural Treatment Stations was implemented, which uses filtering barriers and vegetation islands in the river channel to filter water and absorb metals.
• Environmental recovery and silting of Camargos Waterfalls, at Mariana district (MG State).
• The definition for the removal of tailings occurred in two locations: Barra Longa (MG State), the only municipality with an urban area directly affected by the mud, and Camargos waterfall, in the Mariana district (MG State).

For more information:

Major Themes Tailings Management

RISOLETA NEVES HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANT

One of the most critical areas is the region of the Risoleta Neves Hydroelectric Power Plant (Candonga). It played a key role in retaining 10.5 million m³ of tailings, preventing them from going to the Doce River channel. Cleaning the reservoir is a complex operation, which began in February 2016. Giving the plant the conditions to resume its operation involves innovative and unprecedented engineering solutions.

• 3 metallic bars were built inside the plant’s reservoir – located 400 meters, five kilometers and six kilometers from the Candonga dam, respectively. The barriers will be submerged after filling the reservoir.
• 959 thousand m³ of material were pumped from the plant’s reservoir.
  Pumping removes sediment from the reservoir, which is formed by 80% water and 20% tailings. This material is accommodated at Fazenda Floresta, located 3 km from the plant.

RECOVERY OF DEGRADED AREAS

The recovery process of the areas impacted by the Fundão dam collapse involved, at first, cleaning the gutters and stabilizing the banks of the Gualaxo do Norte and Carmo rivers, between Mariana and Santa Cruz do Escalvado Cities (MG State). In order to combat erosion and prevent the mud accumulated on the outside of rivers from falling into the gutters, native species were planted. The tributaries which practically disappeared from the landscape after the Fundão dam collapse had to be completely redesigned based on geoprocessing information.

• Approximately 800 hectares of emergency planting to control erosion.
• 113 recovered tributaries – small rivers that feed the High Doce River.
• Actions to erosion control and margin reconformation, through bioengineering works on plains.
• Drainage paths were redone between Mariana and Doce River (MG State).

Studies from Federal University of Viçosa (UFV)

• Study coordinated by Dr. Maria Catarina Megumi Kasuya, a specialist in soil microbiology, proved that emergency revegetation accelerated the increase in the diversity of microorganisms in the soil. This research will support the production of seedlings in nurseries in the Doce River Basin.
• There are no limitations for direct cultivation in the tailings. Research conducted by professor Dr. Carlos Schaefer, a soil specialist, has been monitoring the soil directly affected by the tailings since 2015 and has shown there are no risks for planting on properties which have received repair actions.
  60 soil collection points, distributed between the Fundão dam and the Risoleta Neves Hydroelectric Plant, generate samples for periodic analyzes on the soil toxicity and the nature of the deposited tailings.
• Another study led by Professor Sebastião Venâncio, a doctor in botany, shows high survival of seedlings of native species planted over the tailings. The research also found out the tailings does not represent an impediment to natural regeneration because it does not contain toxic substances.

INTEGRATED REPAIR OF RURAL PROPERTIES

Renova Foundation supports rural producers who have been impacted by the passage of tailings through the implementation of a sustainable economic production model, which is appropriate to the local reality. Among the actions, the promotion and support for the environmental readjustment of these properties are highlighted, as recommended by the regulations of Brazilian legislation.

PROPERTIES IN THE HIGH DOCE RIVER REGION

Located on a stretch of 100 kilometers between the Fundão dam and the Risoleta Neves Hydroelectric Plant, in the municipalities of Mariana, Barra Longa, Ponte Nova, Rio Doce and Santa Cruz do Escalvado.

• Productive Environmental Zoning (ZAP) of the Gualaxo do Norte River Basin and the Carmo River Basin concluded;
• Approximately 200 properties were diagnosed by using the Agrosystem Sustainability Indicator (ISA) – more than 4,000 evaluated indexes;
• More than 150 rural properties are receiving actions to promote the resumption of their agricultural activities;
• All these properties are eligible for the Socioeconomic and Environmental Adequacy Plan (PASEA) which aims to promote environmental adequacy, improve rural structures, among other measures;
  PASEA was created by the Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of Minas Gerais (Seapa) and was put into practice through the partnership of the Renova Foundation with the Minas Gerais Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company (Emater-MG)
• Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER): more than 3,800 hours carried out from the second half of 2019 to the moment.

PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION

• About 160 hectares impacted by the Fundão dam collapse are liable to be planted with agricultural crops and will be recovered.
• More than 2,800 hectares of areas which have not been impacted will be upgraded, with 1,400 hectares already available, expanding the region’s economic and environmental sustainability chain.
• 21 properties were selected as model forestry farms for native species, ecological pasture management and agroforestry systems.
• 25 Demonstrative Units will be implemented.
  Partnership between Renova Foundation, WRI Brasil, International Center for Agroforestry Research (ICRAF) and Ecological Farm.
• 777 simple rural infrastructures completed, including barns, pigsties and chicken coops.
• 437 ‘little dams’ were built to store rainwater.
• Over 45 thousand tons of silage delivered to impacted rural producers
• 214 fenced springs and 48 springs with forest planting carried out.

PROPERTIES IN THE MIDDLE AND LOW DOCE RIVER REGIONS

Located on the stretch after the Risoleta Neves Hydroelectric Plant to Linhares (ES State), in the region of the mouth of the Doce River.

• 273 families in rural settlements in the municipalities of Tumiritinga and Periquito, in Minas Gerais State, and Linhares, in Espírito Santo State are receiving technical assistance actions.
• 257 properties diagnosed through the Agrosystem Sustainability Indicator (ISA).
• More than 7,300 hours of Technical Assistance and Social Extension (ATES).
  Assistance modality adapted to the family arrangement of the agrarian reform settlers.
• Another 655 rural properties in the middle and lower Doce River regions will receive Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (ATER) actions.

FOREST RESTORATION

Renova Foundation works in an integrated manner for the environmental revitalization of the Doce River Basin, combining actions for the protection of springs, the recovery of Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs) and water recharge areas. The action in these areas contributes to improving the quality and quantity of water from alternative sources in the region.

• 40 thousand hectares of APPs will be restored, of which 10 thousand hectares will be planted directly with approximately 20 million seedlings
• 5,000 springs will be recovered in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo States.
• R$ 1.5 billion will be allocated to forest restoration initiatives, one of the major in the country for a hydrographic basin.
• More than 1,000 hectares of Permanent Preservation Areas and water recharge areas are being implemented at the municipalities of Governador Valadares, Coimbra, Periquito and Galileia, in Minas Gerais State; and Colatina, Marilândia and Pancas, in Espírito Santo State.
• More than 340 rural producers are partners in forest restoration actions.
• 888 springs have the recovery process started.
• More than 325 rural properties participate in actions to recover the springs.
• About 239 thousand seedlings were planted to recover the springs.
• Partnership with the Francisca Veras Training Center, an organization of Governador Valadares formed by settled families and mediated by the Landless Rural Workers Movement (MST), will enable the forest restoration of Permanent Preservation Areas and Water Recharge in four Minas Gerais settlements, located in Santa Maria do Suaçuí, Periquito, Campanário and Jampruca.

WATER QUALITY

The water from the Doce River can be consumed after undergoing conventional treatment in municipal supply systems. That is what the more than 1,5 million data generated annually by the largest watercourse monitoring system in Brazil, created by the Renova Foundation in 2017 to monitor the Doce River, indicate.

• 1,5 million data generated by the monitoring program per year.
  
  The data are available on the Monitoramento Rio Doce’ portal , in the form of graphs and maps, and it is possible to download the information in spreadsheets. The platform is a project of the Systematic Quali-Quantitative Monitoring Program for Water and Sediment (PMQQS) conducted by the Renova Foundation under the guidance and supervision of the Technical Monitoring Group (GTA-PMQQS).

• 650 kilometers of monitoring rivers and lagoons, plus 230 kilometers of monitoring along the coastal and estuarine zones.
• 92 monitoring points distributed in the Doce River and in the coastal zone indicate the raw water from the Doce River can be consumed after being treated.
• Among these points, there are 22 automatic stations, which generate information in real time.
• 80 physical, chemical, and biological parameters are analyzed in water and 40 in sediments.
  
  To disseminate the data collected by the monitoring, the Water Bulletin was created. The material provides information on the quality of raw water (without treatment), levels of metals found and technical indexes, among other data, in monthly and quarterly formats. Data on the monitoring of the Gualaxo do Norte, Carmo and Doce river sis made available every month. And, every three months, information about the monitoring of the lagoons, estuaries and coastal zone is disclosed.
• More than 300 water monitoring points for human consumption in 30 municipalities.
• In 2020, R$ 33 million were disbursed for water and sediment monitoring actions atRio Doce basin and coastal and estuarine zones.

For more information:

Major Themes Water Journey for recovery

BIODIVERSITY

Renova Foundation acts on two fronts for biodiversity actions, both focused on monitoring and producing studies related to the impacts of the Fundão dam collapse – these are studies about terrestrial flora and fauna, Doce River aquatic biota and sea monitoring. From the result of this joint work, guidelines for the preservation of the ecosystem along the Doce River will be established in the impacted section, at the mouth and in the coastal zone, conclusions about the consumption of fish in human food and about the approval of fishing native species with no threats to the continuity of the local fauna, among others.

TERRESTRIAL FAUNA AND FLORA

• Monitoring will detect the levels of residual metals in vertebrates and invertebrates, in terrestrial flora, in river islands and in the soil along the Doce River.

AQUATIC AND MARINE BIOTA

• Partnerships with academic and research institutions for monitoring aquatic biodiversity in Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais States.
• Partnership with the Biodiversitas Foundation to assess the conservation status of native fishes and aquatic invertebrates of the Doce River.
• Partnership with the Minas Gerais Research Support Foundation (FAPEMIG) to carry out a Call for Research, Development, and Innovation to monitor the biodiversity of Minas Gerais aquatic environments in areas impacted by the Fundão dam collapse.

IMPACTS ON CONSERVATION UNITS

• 40 Conservation Units (UCs) may have been directly or indirectly affected by the dam collapse.
• The impact assessment studies were completed for 6 Conservation Units evaluated and are still in progress for the others.

RECOVERY OF THE WILD FAUNA

• Another work front will work on the construction and equipping of two Wild Animal Screening and Rehabilitation Centers (CETRAS), one in Minas Gerais State and another in Espírito Santo State. After the deliveries, Renova Foundation must ensure resources for the maintenance of the two CETRAS for a period of three years.