THE OCCURRENCE OF FLOODS IN SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL: THE IPIRANGA STREAM BASIN CASE STUDY

Abstract

The present study refers to the occurrence of cyclical and constant flooding in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (RMSP). The RMSP presents every year in the summer, riverside roads and avenues with interrupted or hindered traffic. Properties near the rivers are also affected by the elevation and overflow of the water level on the flood plains. The objective of this work is to apply the multitemporal perspective in Integrated Landscape Analysis method, to fully evaluate the physical and anthropic environment factors, as well as how the changes that occurred over time were responsible for the landscape configuration and reconfigurations. The case study is the Ipiranga Stream Watershed, in the city of São Paulo/SP, which recorded 82 flood events between 1965 and 2017, predominantly in the period between 2010 and 2017 (46 events). The events occur due to the combination of natural characteristics - the elongated shape and low watershed slope, the rise of 24h amount and intensity rainfall, and anthropic characteristics, such as the expansion in soil impermeability rates and structural changes in the main channel and tributaries. The data survey shows the ineffectiveness of structural measures, highlighting that non-structural measures can be important to minimize damages.

Keywords

• historical data
• urban watersheds
• inundation

References

1. AMARAL, R.; ROSS, J.L.S. (2009) As Unidades Ecodinâmicas na Análise da Fragilidade Ambiental do Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo e entorno, Teodoro Sampaio/SP. Geousp (USP). , v.26, p.59 - 78.
2. TOMINAGA, L.K.; SANTORO, J.; AMARAL, R. (2009) Desastres Naturais - Conhecer para Prevenir. São Paulo: Instituto Geológico, v.1. p.196