Estudo da disponibilidade hídrica superficial na bacia hidrográfica do rio Piracicaba – MG

Abstract

Conflicts for a particular good only manifest themselves from the moment that it becomes scarce, or rather, its availability is no longer able to meet the needs of users. The degradation of water resources puts future generations at risk due to the danger of scarcity, which makes it necessary to seek measures to promote their rational use and still provide economic resources for their maintenance. The Piracicaba River is a tributary of the Doce River, the basin is under severe pressure on water resources, mainly due to its economic profile, with emphasis on mining and steel. Thus, the guarantee of maintenance of water flows distributed by users is strictly conditioned to the continuity of water flows in the basin. In this way, the determination of water availability is of paramount importance to provide subsidies for the integrated management of the quantitative aspects of water resources. The general objective of the research was to determine the surface water availability in the hydrographic basin of the Piracicaba-MG river. In order to achieve the proposed objective, the Instituto Mineiro de Gestão das Águas - IGAM was asked to list the users of surface water abstraction at the study site. With the data in hand, the water availability calculations were carried out part by part of the basin, as well as the calculation of the feasibility of regulating the flow of stretches with water unavailability. Water abstraction does not impact the basin's water availability, considering the total availability. Thus, the flow of available water in the Piracicaba River basin is sufficient to maintain a positive relationship between water supply and demand. 103 stretches with water unavailability were identified in the Piracicaba river basin, of these only 3 stretches are not feasible to regulate flow through busbars, however, the environmental, economic and social viability of this type of structure must be taken into account. The water availability product must be kept up-to-date in order to obtain a better scenario in water management decisions in the Piracicaba river basin. Finally, it is recommended to include the analysis of underground abstractions with surface abstractions in studies of water availability in hydrographic basins.