MAPPING OF WATER FAVORABILITY IN THE WATERSHED HIGH OF MEIA PONTE RIVER, AS A SUBSIDY TO WATER SECURITY POLICIES IN GOIÂNIA (GO)

Abstract

Water favorability refers to the favorable condition of water availability and distribution in certain areas, such as river basins, being influenced by several physical/environmental factors. Therefore, the objective of this work was to prepare a water favorability map of the upper Meia Ponte River Basin (BHRMP), aiming to support sectoral water conservation and water security policies in Goiânia (GO). The method used encompassed intervening factors of water favorability in a river basin, therefore, configuring a spatial multi-criteria analysis, based on map algebra. Among the various factors present in the literature, those that most influence water favorability in a river basin were selected, namely: precipitation, temperature, geology, soil, land cover and use, slope and Hand. The factor maps were reclassified into five classes according to their contribution to water favorability: very favorable (class 1), favorable (class 2), moderately favorable (class 3), somewhat favorable (class 4) and unfavorable (class 5). The reclassified maps were overlaid in QGIS using map algebra, resulting in the BHRMP water favorability map. It was observed that there are higher percentages of area covered by the favorable class (38.19%), followed by the moderately favorable classes (29.01%), somewhat favorable (19.71%), unfavorable (8.68%) and, finally, from the very favorable class (4.40%). It is essential to carry out adequate soil management in all classes of water favorability, however, it is urgent to implement conservation actions for water resources in areas identified as moderately favorable, unfavorable and unfavorable.