Resumo:
Water resource management involves administration and planning to ensure sustainable and equitable water usage. This includes efficient policy implementation, establishment of monitoring and control mechanisms, and promotion of water conservation. The objective of this study is to contribute to water resource planning and management by determining areas most suitable for water infiltration to recharge aquifers in Nova Era Municipality, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Geoprocessing techniques were employed, along with a multicriteria analysis using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to generate thematic maps correlating factors such as precipitation, geology, soil, drainage, lineaments, slope, and land use. The AHP method was used to assign weights to the factors and their respective classes, reducing subjectivity in the analysis. The thematic maps were then integrated using map algebra within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment, resulting in a final map with five classes representing areas most conducive to aquifer recharge. The results indicate that the predominant class for recharge-prone areas is "Moderate," with a notable coincidence between naturally vegetated areas and those more suitable for recharge. Despite geological and topographical conditions not being highly conducive to groundwater storage, the municipality benefits from well-structured soils, adequate annual precipitation, moderate drainage density, and good soil conservation, making it a productive water source. Small regions classified as "Very High" recharge potential are located in the extreme south, center-west, and extreme north. The findings also confirm the importance of implementing good soil usage and conservation practices to enhance water production and emphasize the need to preserve forest remnants and areas with steep relief, as well as implementing Payment for Environmental Services (PES) as suitable measures to improve water recharge and maintain the base flow in the study area.
