Characterization of physical parameters and environmental sanitation for experimental-representative catchment located in the lowlands of Jacarepaguá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

This paper aimed to evaluate the physical characteristics and environmental sanitation aspects for a drainage area inserted in the region of Morto river catchment, taken as experimental and representative of Jacarepaguá Lowland Basin in Rio de Janeiro, where city´s growth is taking place very fast. It is expected that this study will support the development of public policies that may guide the conservation of water and sustainable development of the region. The methodology used for watershed delimitation and the physical characteristics calculation involved the application of small computational procedures associated to ArcGis 9.2, ArcHydro®. It was determined the area, the perimeter, the compactness index, shape factor, drainage density, average extension of runoff and catchment´s slope. The observed low slope along the river coast combined with the physical parameters of the basin, enabled to conclude that this catchment is susceptible to floods especially during concomitant events of high tide and heavy rain. The analysis of social and environmental sanitation aspects took into account IBGE`s 2000 Census results. It was observed that illiteracy rates for the catchment area was doubled of that observed for the city as whole and that services such as water supply, sewage and garbage collection are more precarious in the catchment area than in the neighborhood of Jacarepaguá or the city of Rio de Janeiro. In relative terms, sewage collection was in the worst situation while the garbage collection services were in the best for the studied basin.