Water Resources Assessment at Piracicaba, Capivari and Jundiaí River Basins: A Dynamic Systems Approach

• Published in: Water resources management 2010-03, Vol.24 (4), p.761-773
• Main Authors: Sánchez-Román, Rodrigo Máximo, Folegatti, Marcos Vinicius, Orellana González, Alba María Guadalupe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agriculture; Atmospheric Sciences; Basins; Civil Engineering; Computer based modeling; Consumers; Consumption; Dynamical systems; Dynamics; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Environment; Environmental management; Exact sciences and technology; Freshwater; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydrogeology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Mathematical models; Policies; River basin development; River basins; Rivers; Simulation; Studies; Sustainability; Trends; water management; Water resources; Water resources management; Water shortages; Water stress; Watersheds
• ISSN: 0920-4741; 1573-1650
• DOI: 10.1007/s11269-009-9470-x

The Piracicaba, Capivari, and Jundiaí River Basins (RB-PCJ) are mainly located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Using a dynamics systems simulation model (WRM-PCJ) to assess water resources sustainability, five 50-year simulations were run. WRM-PCJ was developed as a tool to aid decision and policy makers on the RB-PCJ Watershed Committee. The model has 254 variables. The model was calibrated and validated using available information from the 80s. Falkenmark Water Stress Index went from 1,403 m³ person ⁻ ¹ year ⁻ ¹ in 2004 to 734 m³ P ⁻ ¹ year ⁻ ¹ in 2054, and Xu Sustainability Index from 0.44 to 0.20. In 2004, the Keller River Basin Development Phase was Conservation, and by 2054 was Augmentation. The three criteria used to evaluate water resources showed that the watershed is at crucial water resources management turning point. The WRM-PCJ performed well, and it proved to be an excellent tool for decision and policy makers at RB-PCJ.