Author(s): A. P. T. Oliveira; B. P. M. Souza; J. A. Barbosa; S. F. Cunha; H. A. Santos
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: Rio do Peixe is one of the many tributaries rivers of Rio Doce. Its basin is located in Minas Gerais state and inside the main area of iron production, called “Quadrilatero Ferrifero”. The Rio do Peixe basin has an area of 410 squared kilometers and the river length is 54 kilometers. The headwaters are under effects of interventions promoted by the first mining company implanted in Brazil. Other anthropic actions increase the environmental problems such as urbanization. Processes of sedimentation occur in the river, producing harmful effects of fauna and flora. In order to contain the residues from mining processes, some dams were built, which change the hydrological and hydraulic patterns in the river. In Brazil, rehabilitation interventions are rare and there are few studies about it. The aim of this paper is to analyze the impacts in Rio do Peixe by the data of velocity, depth, substrate and form channel coefficients. For this study, two reaches were sampled and its length is 500 meters. The physical parameters were measured along each cross section, which are spaced 10 meters each others. The results show that the most impacted reach was the second due to the highest velocities and depth. Besides that, concerning form coefficients, the reach 2 has the lowest variability of flow biotope and in the majority the observed classes were glide and run. This analysis will contribute to a proposal of a rehabilitation process in Rio do Peixe reach, in order to reestablish the original hydraulic conditions.
Year: 2009