Determination of preservation special areas in a recharge zone of Guarani Aquifer System, in the City of Ribeirão Preto (SP)

Abstract

The groundwater systems are important components of the hydrological cycle, and are responsible for the supply of water bodies and springs. Of all the worlds freshwater, almost all (98%) comes from aquifers. Brazil, for an example, has large groundwater reserves, including 70% of the Guarani Aquifer System (GAS), recognized as one of the largest groundwater reserves in the world. Ribeirão Preto, a city totally supplied by GAS, has part of its area - the east zone, that remains within the recharge area of this system, creating management conflicts, particularly regarding to land use and occupation of the zone. In order to protect this groundwater source, this eastern zone is defined as a Special Use Zone (SUZ), a more restrictive area, which further aggravates the situation. The specially protected areas defined by the Forest Code - Permanent Preservation Area (PPA) and Legal Reserve (LR), help to protect the recharge area, but are often despised by landowners. By the current situation of this GAS recharge zone and aiming to protect the water source, this project intends to conduct a location study for allocation of LRs, using remote sensing and geographic information system applied to landscape ecology, based on the methodology proposed by Ranieri (2004). Thus, it is intended to generate priority scenarios to the maintenance and conservation of vegetation (AU)