Events Hydrological Extremes in Salvador-BA: Spatial Analysis Flooding Occurrences

Abstract

The actions of humans impact the environment and cause a natural system condition to change, which promotes new processes through a feedback system, since nature is not immune to human intervention. Urban spaces are one of the greatest expressions of the changes brought about by societies in the natural landscape. Human intervention via populating is linked to soil sealing in combination with disorderly occupation and the removal of vegetation cover, among other factors and tends to modify the natural processes, which directly affect the inhabitants. Waterlogging and floods are serious problems in Brazilian cities since the impermeable soil decreases or prevents the infiltration of rainwater causing increased runoff which, added to inefficient drainage cause disorders in various sectors of urban life. Considering the social importance of this issue and through data modeling this work aims to analyze the areas affected by extreme hydrological events in the city of Salvador from the spatial distribution of precipitation data from eight rainfall stations, using timely data records of distribution of monthly occurrences of flooding and demarcation of risk areas and areas of concentration of flooding occurrences through the Kernel points density analysis. The integration of this information will support the decision making on critical points of city drainage, aiding the work of public agencies and allowing the replacement of the current model of repair and recovery of damage to a prevention model.