Evaluation of regionalization flows models performance at Santa Bárbara River Basin, Goiás, Brazil (pt)

Abstract

Information on river flows is essential for water resources management. Most of theBrazilian small watersheds is ungauged. Regionalization of hydrologic information is analternative way to get this lacking information. The regionalization models, however, are asimplified representation of natural phenomena, what could lead to miscalculation. Therefore,these models should be tested before being used as a management tool. This paper evaluatesthe performance of the regionalization models created for the Santa Bárbara River Basinregion, in Goiás. This river basin is located between 17º45’ and 18º15’ South and 49º36’ and50º03’ West and has a catchment area of 1371,16 km2. The models estimate average streamflow, maximum streamflow, minimum streamflow, the 95% duration streamflow, theseven day, ten years, minimum streamflow and the monthly-average streamflows. The testedstreamflow regionalization models proved to be good enough for average flows, but not formaximum and minimum events. The models based on homogeneous regions were superior tothose that ignored that aspect. The model that uses drainage area and density to estimate the95% duration streamflow could be used in water resources management with little error. Theuse of this model would better represent the water availability at Santa Bárbara River Basinthan a few local measurements currently used.

Keywords

• water resources
• water availability
• reference flows
• recursos hídricos
• disponibilidade hídrica
• vazões de referência.