Evolution of the floods in southern Brazil: the case of Rio do Peixe Watershed | Investigaciones Geográficas
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Call for Papers for open call N° 69 of Revista de Investigaciones Geográficas: Una mirada desde el sur.

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Evolution of the floods in southern Brazil: the case of Rio do Peixe Watershed

Authors

  • Elaine Cristina dos Santos Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
  • Márcio de França Santos Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
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Abstract

In Santa Catarina, which is located in southern Brazil, environmental disasters are recurrent. In particular those related to geomorphology and rainfall, such as landslides, floods, high precipitation, and droughts. This study proposes an analysis applied to the inundation in Rio do Peixe's watershed (midwestern Santa Catarina) and related to the population increase, rainfall, South Pacific Oscillation temerpature and hypsometric characteristics. For the analysis, data from floods recorded (AVADAN) was collected and correlated to the number of inhabitants of the region, according to the historical series of the IBGE and additionally to the periods of the Pacific temperature fluctuation, according to the National Oceanic and atmospheric Administration. The data showed that the floods pattern changed from 1980 to 2010, where gradual inundations became less frequent and sudden inundations occurred in greater numbers. During El Niño periods inundations were most frequent but higher occurrences of progressive flood and in La Niña periods the progressive flooling were less recurrent. However, the population of the municipalities of the study area also increased gradually, paralelling increases in flood incidents.

Keywords:

Gradual inundation , sudden inundation , El Niño-Southern Oscillation , population increase.