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Water Availability of the Maracanã River Watershed, Eastern Amazon

Abstract:

The Amazon is abundant in water resources, but human actions such as excessive use of water, contamination of water sources, or increased demand result in decreased water availability. In this sense, the objective of the research was to evaluate the water availability of the Maracanã River watershed through the Water Security Index (WSI) and Water Balance to identify the status of water resources in the region. The methodological procedures involved the WSI analysis and the Water Balance calculation, with the support of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results showed that the watershed has the majority of ottobasins at maximum and high values, which means satisfactory water availability for human supply. However, the Water Balance calculation showed that the watershed presented a water deficit from September to November. The insights can support other studies and planning of the Maracanã River watershed regarding its environmental and agricultural management.