Global Journal of Human Social Science, H: Interdisciplinary, Volume 23 Issue 5

© 2023 Global Journals Volume XXIII Issue V Version I Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 ( ) H 12 whether consumers are individuals or companies; and treatment and return to watercourses or for reuse in urban and rural activities. Managing water resources remains an important global challenge to achieve water security and effectively meet human needs (GÓMEZ et al., 2020). In fact, water security only occurs when, in the hydrographic space considered, it is possible to guarantee that a certain amount of water reaches the set of consumers in quality, volume, and adequate continuity for the maintenance of life (GLEICK & ICELAND, 2018). This condition requires managers define policies and action strategies that achieve ecological sustainability and water security. However, this can only be achieved if preceded by the correct diagnosis, when problems are converted into indicators, facilitating their understanding and decision-making (SOARES, SILVA FILHO & ABREU, 2011). Das, Laishram, and Jawed (2019) argue that water governance is an important process to improve transparency and decision-making, allowing a clear view of individual responsibilities and the choice of actions based on a participatory process. In this regard, the authors point out that stakeholder engagement is extremely important in creating alternatives to water scarcity and the real dynamics of water resource management. Magalhães and Barp (2014, p. 201) observe that “the integrated management of watersheds, particularly water management, depends especially on the capacity of public and private organizations to make decisions and outline strategies to achieve predetermined objectives.” Thus, it is essential that the decision is based on information and not just on intuition, randomly, or on the opinion of those who make it. For this purpose, indicators are suggested to be used in the context of water resources management. An indicator can be defined as a measure that summarizes important information about a given phenomenon. It is not just a value associated with this measure, as data only becomes an indicator "when its understanding goes beyond the number, the measure, in the sense of acquiring meaning through the interpreted information" (MALHEIROS, COUTINHO & PHILIPPI JR, 2012, p. 35) In the case of sustainable management of watersheds, using ICT to assist in the collection, processing and calculation of the variables that make up the indicators is much more relevant and accurate when done with the help of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data. These, however, are only some of the possible technological solutions. Kalehhouei et al. (2021) ensure that the use of ICT in watershed management practices to improve decision-making or favor more efficient exploration and management operations can draw on precision equipment, Internet of Things (IoT), sensors, geo- positioning systems, Big Data, uncrewed aerial vehicles, and robotics. These options must be evaluated according to availability, costs, the feasibility of operation, and the goals of watershed stakeholders such as residents, farmers, experts, land use planners and managers, and public policymakers. We will consider in this study only the contribution of IoT and Big Data. Whitmore (2014) notes that IoT represents an evolution of already existing technologies, proposing to connect everyday devices and make them available for online access through the internet, even if they were not designed for this purpose. Big Data is a concept applied to systems and informational resources used to process an extensive set of information, such as those collected by IoT devices and sensors, as it enables the achievement of more accurate diagnoses and makes smarter decisions since decisions supported by evidence are more assertive. Macafee and Brynjolfsson (2012) state that Big Data, in the same way as IoT, can potentially transform organizations and management processes. Given the challenges and the unprecedented use of IoT and Big Data for the sustainable management of water resources, this study examines the possibility of gathering existing information produced in the context of watersheds to build indicators that faithfully portray a given situation that is of interest or vital importance to analyze. We suggest that using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), particularly IoT and Big Data, can improve the decision-making process in managing water resources, metaphorically making watersheds smarter. Results exemplify how the water quality indicators, as defined in the Brazilian legislation, can be obtained using IoT and Big Data and organized in decision support systems. Indeed, although the study considers local legislation issues, the smart solutions identified can be adopted by watersheds in different parts of the world, highlighting the importance of this paper. II. C onceptual E lements and T heoretical B ackground a) Water resources management Water resources management comes into focus with the growth in urban centers of environmental problems and the risks brought by the dynamics of ecological loss to economic and social security (SANTIN & GOELLNER, 2013; DAS, LAISHRAM & JAWED, 2019). The disproportionality between the population's demand, in all its activities and needs, and what it is possible to capture for water supply is just one of the aspects to be considered. Miranda (2012) and Zhang (2022) point out that water resource, although essential for the survival of all living beings, is finite and scarce. These authors Unlocking the Potential of Smart Watersheds: Leveraging Iot and Big Data for Sustainable Water Resource Management and Indicator Calculation