Physical characterization of degraded soil by marginal erosion on Rosana and Chavantes hydroelectric reservoir

• Grant number: 13/03532-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Physical Geography
• Principal researcher: João Osvaldo Rodrigues Nunes
• Grantee: Giordano Begalli Cierutte
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Presidente Prudente. Presidente Prudente , SP, Brazil

Abstract

A natural processes caused by hydrodynamic river are marginal erosions, which intensify in margins altered by human action. This type of erosion contributes significantly in increasing the load of bottom sediments of the drainage channels, causing progressive destruction of surrounding areas devaluing the riparian land and limiting its proper use. However, although the marginal erosions are a natural mechanism of a river channel action, forming artificial reservoirs for hydropower generation acts as a force of anthropogenic modification of the conditions of location, magnitude and frequency of this type of process. Although the literature point to the existence of the impact of marginal erosions caused by the construction and operation of reservoirs, studies on the behavior and dynamics of these factors generated processes and the processes themselves are still very incipient, especially when comes to the types of soils occur where the marginal erosions, since most are not natural hydromorphic soils (Oxisols, Ultisols, Inceptisols, Entisols, etc.). In addition, part of this literature still treats erosions in the margins of reservoirs as a process similar to fluvial erosion, which is a misnomer, since the behavior of the reservoir, governed by specific elements of this type of venture is very different from the behavior of river channels, where erosions usually occur in lowlands (Plansoils and Gleisoils). Given this situation, it appears that there is little theoretical framework to guide the action of companies in power generation activities on erosion on the banks of reservoirs, considering all the different aspects involved in the operation of these reservoirs. With this background, this project aims to characterize the soils degraded by erosion of marginal, to assist in the use of alternative methodologies for monitoring erosion, promoting the necessary adaptations for use in banks of hydroeletric reservoirs of Rosana and Chavantes, in borders of the states of São Paulo and Paraná. To do so, it will draw morphology for identification of soils in areas of monitoring and experimental analysis routine physical; georeferencing data collected with GPS navigation support, overlapping data into high-resolution images from the Ikonos satellite, through the geographic information system (GIS) and Idrisi Taiga so multidisciplinary, adopting practices to mechanical recovery of degraded areas by marginal erosion. (AU)