Rehabilitation model of chronic flooding areas in the Greater ABC region with a focus on urban retention

• Grant number: 23/10270-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies
• Start date: March 01, 2024
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Gilson Lameira de Lima
• Grantee: Gilson Lameira de Lima
• Host Institution: Centro de Engenharia, Modelagem e Ciências Sociais Aplicadas (CECS). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: María Cleofé Valverde Brambila ; SANDRA TEIXEIRA MALVESE ; Vitor Vieira Vasconcelos

Abstract

The Metropolitan Region of São Paulo - RMSP has been the scene of dramatic episodes of urban flooding, which have intensified as the occupation of the territory has been accompanied by vigorous growth of the drainage infrastructure network. Paradox? Yes. With three decades of delay, Hidroplan concluded that the flow control model used here for a century by drainage engineering was inadequate, whose translation was the rectification of watercourses at the bottom of the valley, grounding and occupation of the floodplains of the hydrographic network.The major structural goals of Hidroplan for the Greater ABC, expressed by the reversal of the waters of the Tamanduateí River and Ribeirão dos Meninos, suffered irreversible setbacks, of a political nature, leaving, in the dimension of macro-drainage, as an instrument for mitigating floods, the Plan of Pools, limited range. Dealing with the problem of flooding, in the given sphere, requires articulating the micro-drainage system with the macro-drainage system, through the progressive reduction of the flows of the hydrographic network at the local level. However, this requirement is not practiced by any of the municipalities included in the Alto Tamanduateí basin because, at the local management level, the reactive practice or political opportunity in terms of urban drainage predominates, whose consequences point to the continuation of the worsening of the problem.Facing this challenge means, above all, building a new culture of urban drainage management at the municipal level, with the Intermunicipal Consortium as the main protagonist, aiming to incorporate the flow restriction model into the Regional Drainage Plan, thus inducing municipalities to to adopt new practices.The expected result of the project is the application of a methodology that results in the prospect of rehabilitation of areas chronically impacted by floods - one in each municipality in the Greater ABC region, through the hierarchy of actions with a medium and long-term horizon and an estimate corresponding financial resources necessary for investment and funding, which enhances the collection of resources for demonstrative interventions, in order to favor a new practice in the context of urban development. (AU)