Flood Vulnerability, Environmental Land Use Conflicts, and Conservation of Soil and Water: A Study in the Batatais SP Municipality, Brazil

Abstract

In many regions across the planet, flood events are now more frequent and intense because of climate change and improper land use, resulting in risks to the population. However, the procedures to accurately determine the areas at risk in regions influenced by inadequate land uses are still inefficient. In rural watersheds, inadequate uses occur when actual uses deviate from land capability, and are termed environmental land use conflicts. To overcome the difficulty to evaluate flood vulnerability under these settings, in this study a method was developed to delineate flood vulnerability areas in a land use conflict landscape: the Batatais municipality, located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The method and its implementation resorted to remote sensed data, geographic information systems and geo-processing. Satellite images and their processing provided data for environmental factors such as altitude, land use, slope, and soil class in the study area. The importance of each factor for flood vulnerability was evaluated through the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). According to the results, vast areas of medium to high flood vulnerability are located in agricultural lands affected by environmental land use conflicts. In these areas, amplified flood intensities, soil erosion, crop productivity loss and stream water deterioration are expected. The coverage of Batatais SP municipality by these vulnerable areas is so extensive (60%) that preventive and recovery measures were proposed in the context of a land consolidation–water management plan aiming flood control and soil and water conservation.

Groundwater Recharge Potential for Sustainable Water Use in Urban Areas of the Jequitiba River Basin, Brazil

“…The starting step comprises the identification and mapping of recharge areas, but this phase has not commenced. It is worth reinforcing that the inadequate use of recharge zones can reduce water infiltration in the soil through waterproofing and compaction; and low infiltration rates can concentrate and increase surface runoff, generating problems in urban centers such as flooding [39][40][41][42][43]. In addition, the intense exploitation of water resources in urban areas can generate water scarcity and even depletion [44][45][46].…”

Land-Use and Legislation-Based Methodology for the Implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems in the Semi-Arid Region of Brazil

“…Another seven points were added (Figure 4a and b) which also validate SWMM maps. This approach is suggested as a way to manage the lack of validation data in studies [62]. However, an in-depth study is suggested for further research in order to collect more information about flooding episodes in different return periods.…”

Conflito ambiental de uso do solo na bacia hidrográfica do Tapacurá-PE

“…As informações geradas, a partir de mapas temáticos obtidos por técnicas de geoprocessamento para o ordenamento do território são inúmeras, tais como: formações básicas do relevo, hidrografia, características geológicas, geomorfológicas, declividades ou áreas de ocorrências de doenças e área de expansão urbana, análise de infraestrutura, informações socioeconômicas, plano diretor, lei de uso e ocupação do solo, zoneamento, análises e mapeamento de riscos ambientais (Caldas, 2018;Camâra et al, 1996).…”