Journal of Environmental Hydrology
ISSN 1058-3912


Electronic Journal of the International Association for Environmental Hydrology
JEH Volume 18 (2010), Paper 16    Posted August 31, 2010
DETECTING HYDROCLIMATIC CHANGES USING SPATIO-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS IN THE SUB-MEDIUM SÃO FRANCISCO-PE BASIN

Josiclêda Domiciano Galvíncio1
Magna Soelma Beserra de Moura2

1Department of Geographical Sciences, University Federal of Pernambuco - UFPE, Varzea-Recife-Pernambuco, Brazil
2 Embrapa Semiarid Research Center, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
ABSTRACT
The São Francisco river basin is the third largest drainage basin of Brazil and the only one entirely within its frontiers. To estimate and generate surface runoff values of the Sub-medium São Francisco Valley basin, a model was developed based on the identification and quantification of the main hydrologic processes. This model was used to create scenarios of the climatic change impacts on the surface runoff. The model simulated the water balance and estimated the surface runoff considering the precipitation variation and the potential evapotranspiration, and taking into account the soil depth, the physiographic characteristics, and the plant cover of the drainage basin. In general, when considering precipitation variability, evapotranspiration, plant cover and soil depth, porosity and hydraulic conductivity, the developed model showed a good response to the spatio-temporal variability of the surface runoff. The model was shown to effectively simulate scenarios of climate change impacts on the surface runoff of the basin. The sub-medium São Francisco Valley drainage basin does not show any trend of increase or reduction of the surface runoff between 1963 and 1988.
Reference: Galvíncio, J.D., and M.S.B. de Moura. 2010. Detecting hydroclimatic changes using spatio-temporal analysis in the Sub-medium São Francisco-PE basin. Journal of Environmental Hydrology, Vol. 18, Paper 16.
CONTACT:
Josiclêda Domiciano Galvíncio
Professor, Department of Geographical Sciences
University Federal of Pernambuco - UFPE
Varzea-Recife-Pernambuco, Brazil

E-mail: josicleda@hotmail.com


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