AVALIAÇÃO DO IMPACTO DE PEQUENA CENTRAL HIDRELÉTRICA NA QUALIDADE DE ÁGUA DO RIO ITABAPOANA ATRAVÉS DE UM MODELO COMPUTACIONAL

Abstract

This work presents the results of hydrodynamic and transport, which were applied to a stretch of Itabapoana River, located in the northwest of Rio de Janeiro State, in order to assess the environmental consequences of the implantation of a Small Hydroelectric Plant. The models were calibrated by comparing simulated and observed data, for a giving condition, regarding both hydrodynamic and water quality variables. Once calibrated, the models simulated different scenarios, with a special emphasis to those generated under low flow regime, which are environmentally more critics. The results showed that, for these conditions, some water quality parameters, markedly the Dissolved Oxygen concentration, would be affected by the change in flow regime, caused by the withdrawal of water to power the turbines of the hydroelectric plant.