Automatic mapping of urban growth in the surroundings of water reservoirs in São Paulo Metropolitan Area, using medium and high resolution satellite data

• Grant number: 13/10603-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2013
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Urban and Regional Planning - Methods and Techniques of Urban and Regional Planning
• Principal Investigator: Hermann Johann Heinrich Kux
• Grantee: Hermann Johann Heinrich Kux
• Host Institution: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This study will be performed at the southern section of RMSP (Metropolitan Region of São Paulo) which integrates the area between water reservoirs Billings and Guarapiranga, which are extremely important for the water supply, since approximaterly 21% of the water made available at RMSP originates from them. It is a region of urban periphery with a strong human pressure of irregular occupation in Environmental Protected Areas (APAs). Considering this problem, the objective of this project is, based on previous experiences of surveys in São Paulo, to create a methodology applied to perform a detailed mapping of land use/land cover for the watershed between both reservoirs, by information technology (IT), using very high spatial resolution satellite images from sensor system WorldView-2 and GIS (Geographic Information Systems).Based on the methodology developed and on the products generated, governmental agencies responsible for the implementation of the environmental policy (such as e.g. the São Paulo State Environmental Secretary), will optimize its work of environmental preservation, obtaining tools to minimize the impacts suffered by this area (such as e.g. the impairment of water quality due to wastewater disposal in these lakes originated from surrounding communities). This will allow a rapid intervention from governmental agencies. The methodology to be used in this project will be based on the software InterIMAGE, developed in partnership between INPE (Remote Sensing Division and Image Processing Division) and the Catholic University (PUC-Rio, Dept. of Electric Engineering, Laboratory for Computer Vision). It is a free, open-source system which can be adapted to the specific needs of any user, and therefore it can be used afterwards operationally by agencies/institutions working with urban/regional planning, dealing with environmental issues in the RMSP (AU)