Abstract
Hydroelectric power plants cause impacts that are usually estimated by an indicator, the hydroelectric power generation per hectare of flooded area. And, although entrepreneurs use quality-declared cartographic bases to comply with the standards, at the project stages of a hydroelectric plant it is not a priori determined whether the altimetry tolerance of such bases is sufficient to ensure that the impacts will not increase, which in the project consolidation becomes a huge problem. This work aims to define the altimetry quality of SRTM Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and ASTER GDEM and whether they are a priori sufficient to simulate the flood level of hydroelectric power plants in different reliefs. To accomplish this objective, a morphological method of assessment of the DEM quality was developed, through Geographic Information Systems (GIS), so that the altimetry information generated by the models and field surveys, when compared, would show their actual differences also in relation to their areas. To this end, two study areas were used: one with a slightly undulated relief and the other with undulated relief. To validate the models, quality assessments were carried out: based on points, according to the Brazilian Map Accuracy Standard (MAS) and STANAG 2215; and based on surfaces, according to Article 500 of the Brazilian Civil Code and the morphological method. At the end, practical applications relating to the M&P indicator and hydroelectric power plants projects were also carried out. The results presented demonstrate that the quality of an SRTM DEM when used in undulating or gently undulating reliefs can be used up to 1:80,000 scale. Already for DEM ASTER under the same conditions, it is possible to use on the scale 1:100,000. In DEM SRTM and DEM ASTER, after removing the systematic error (−7.3 m) and (−6.2 m), respectively, the quality between 65% and 79% is verified for DEM SRTM and 53%, and 68% for DEM ASTER for common areas in flood level simulation.
Highlights
Water resources are physical bodies primarily composed of lakes, lagoons, rivers, streams, among others
As declared accuracies we considered the definitions contained in item 2.3—Map Accuracy Standard (MAS) planialtimetry Class A standard and STANAG 2215 Class A planialtimetry and Class 0 altimetry applied to the products scales
This section contains the results obtained from the evaluation stages per control point and from the morphological evaluation as well as the analyses of the products quality, their matching points and applications
Summary
Water resources are physical bodies primarily composed of lakes, lagoons, rivers, streams, among others. Such water bodies have dynamic characteristics due to the action of Earth’ physical forces, which attract waters to low-altitude regions to encounter the sea or a barrier. Hydroelectric power plants (HPP), in general, use reservoirs to equalize the rate of water flows that drive turbines. Such dams are preferably built in narrow, deep canyons and in relatively small flooded areas. As there are few places that meet these conditions, concrete and rock fill (stones and earth) dams are built, having low height and long length, requiring flooding of large surface extensions [2], causing environmental impacts
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