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Global climate change, related to the greenhouse gases emission, impacts hydroelectric power generation mainly due to the increase in air temperature and changes in the precipitation patterns. As a consequence, it affects basin evapotranspiration process, runoff, sediment transport as well as evaporation of reservoirs. This study analysed the current and future Brazilian context of hydroelectric reservoirs and investigated the potential impacts of climate change on hydropower generation and possible mitigation adjustments, giving relevant examples from around the world. Moreover, it is key to consider other factors that influence the availability of water resources such as: (a) upstream development of reservoirs, mainly the development of agricultural systems, which can contribute to increased water demand; (b) changes in land use, which can have an impact on soil degradation and sediment transport. Hydroelectric dams are a possible alternative to mitigate the impacts of climate change considering that those impacts could generate the need of adaptive actions. The assessment of climate change impacts’ projections anticipates possible future scenarios and can assist in strategic planning together with the definition of adaptive operational policies.
Viviane De Souza Dias; Marta Luz; Gabriela M. Medero; Diego Tarley Ferreira Nascimento. An Overview of Hydropower Reservoirs in Brazil: Current Situation, Future Perspectives and Impacts of Climate Change. Water 2018, 10, 592 .
AMA StyleViviane De Souza Dias, Marta Luz, Gabriela M. Medero, Diego Tarley Ferreira Nascimento. An Overview of Hydropower Reservoirs in Brazil: Current Situation, Future Perspectives and Impacts of Climate Change. Water. 2018; 10 (5):592.
Chicago/Turabian StyleViviane De Souza Dias; Marta Luz; Gabriela M. Medero; Diego Tarley Ferreira Nascimento. 2018. "An Overview of Hydropower Reservoirs in Brazil: Current Situation, Future Perspectives and Impacts of Climate Change." Water 10, no. 5: 592.
Over the last few years, the operation of the Furnas Hydropower Plant (HPP) reservoir, located in the Grande River Basin, has been threatened due to a significant reduction in inflow. In the region, hydrological modelling tools are being used and tested to support decision making and water sustainability. In this study, the streamflow was modelled in the area of direct influence of the Furnas HPP reservoir, and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model performance was verified for studies in the region. Analyses of sensitivity and uncertainty were undertaken using the Sequential Uncertainty Fitting algorithm (SUFI-2) with a Calibration Uncertainty Program (SWAT-CUP). The hydrological modelling, at a monthly scale, presented good results in the calibration (NS 0.86), with a slight reduction of the coefficient in the validation period (NS 0.64). The results suggested that this tool could be applied in future hydrological studies in the region of study. With the consideration that special attention should be given to the historical series used in the calibration and validation of the models. It is important to note that this region has high demands for water resources, primarily for agricultural use. Water demands must also be taken into account in future hydrological simulations. The validation of this methodology led to important contributions to the management of water resources in regions with tropical climates, whose climatological and geological reality resembles the one studied here.
Viviane De Souza Dias; Marta Luz; Gabriela M. Medero; Diego Tarley Ferreira Nascimento; Wellington Nunes De Oliveira; Leonardo Rodrigues De Oliveira Merelles. Historical Streamflow Series Analysis Applied to Furnas HPP Reservoir Watershed Using the SWAT Model. Water 2018, 10, 458 .
AMA StyleViviane De Souza Dias, Marta Luz, Gabriela M. Medero, Diego Tarley Ferreira Nascimento, Wellington Nunes De Oliveira, Leonardo Rodrigues De Oliveira Merelles. Historical Streamflow Series Analysis Applied to Furnas HPP Reservoir Watershed Using the SWAT Model. Water. 2018; 10 (4):458.
Chicago/Turabian StyleViviane De Souza Dias; Marta Luz; Gabriela M. Medero; Diego Tarley Ferreira Nascimento; Wellington Nunes De Oliveira; Leonardo Rodrigues De Oliveira Merelles. 2018. "Historical Streamflow Series Analysis Applied to Furnas HPP Reservoir Watershed Using the SWAT Model." Water 10, no. 4: 458.
Soil erosion and deposition mechanisms play a crucial role in the sustainability of both existing reservoirs and newly planned projects. Soil erosion is one of the most important factors influencing sediment transport yields, and, in the context of existing reservoirs, the surrounding watersheds supply both runoff and sediment yield to the receiving water body. Therefore, appropriate land management strategies are needed to minimize the influence of sediment yields on reservoir volume and, hence, the capacity of power generation. In this context, soil erosion control measures such as buffer strips may provide a practical and low-cost option for large reservoirs, but need to be tested at the catchment scale. This paper represents a study case for the Itumbiara hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Brazil. Four different scenarios considering radially planted buffer strips of Vetivergrass with widths of 20 m, 40 m, 100 m and 200 m are analyzed. A semi-distributed hydrological model, SWAT, was used to perform the simulations. Results indicate a reduction of sediments transported to the reservoir of between 0.2% and 1.0% per year is possible with buffer strip provision, and that this reduction, over the life of Itumbiara HPP, may prove important for lengthening the productivity of the plant.
Marta Luz; Lindsay C. Beevers; Alan J. S. Cuthbertson; Gabriela M. Medero; Viviane S. Dias; Diego T. F. Nascimento. The Mitigation Potential of Buffer Strips for Reservoir Sediment Yields: The Itumbiara Hydroelectric Power Plant in Brazil. Water 2016, 8, 489 .
AMA StyleMarta Luz, Lindsay C. Beevers, Alan J. S. Cuthbertson, Gabriela M. Medero, Viviane S. Dias, Diego T. F. Nascimento. The Mitigation Potential of Buffer Strips for Reservoir Sediment Yields: The Itumbiara Hydroelectric Power Plant in Brazil. Water. 2016; 8 (11):489.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Luz; Lindsay C. Beevers; Alan J. S. Cuthbertson; Gabriela M. Medero; Viviane S. Dias; Diego T. F. Nascimento. 2016. "The Mitigation Potential of Buffer Strips for Reservoir Sediment Yields: The Itumbiara Hydroelectric Power Plant in Brazil." Water 8, no. 11: 489.