ABSTRACT
Periodic droughts occur in the vast semiarid hinterland of the north-eastern region of Brazil. The government's response to drought includes long-range policies and emergency policies that result in short-term programs during drought years. These policies reflect the regional perception of drought Government policies and programs take several approaches. Federal institutionalization of public policies for the region resulted in the creation of the Department of Works to Overcome Drought in 1909. The possibility of underground reservoirs is remote because of the predominantly crystalline geological formation, so the drought must be fought mainly through the storage of surface water, with the identification of appropriate sites for the construction of dams. The emergency operation caused by the 1979-1983 drought followed the general procedures of the established organizational structure: an initial emergency plan was activated and reactivated throughout the period. In addition to the "work fronts" and credit lines, the government initiated a program using tank trucks to provide water.
