Índice de qualidade da água e a influência do uso e ocupação do solo no reservatório da usina hidrelétrica Corumbá – Goiás

Water is an essential resource for life, and its damming is often necessary for various purposes. Dams are important alternatives for human water supply and energy generation, though they cause significant environmental impacts. To maintain the water quality of these reservoirs, the Water Quality Index (WQI) becomes an important tool for water management, allowing an integrated and comparative understanding of water quality. This study applied the WQI in the UHE Corumbá reservoir and its tributaries, assessing water quality at nine sampling points between July 2018 and April 2022. The WQI results demonstrated that water quality in the reservoir varies from good to excellent, while in the tributaries, it ranges from fair to good, influenced by vegetation, deforestation, and the dilution of pollution as it flows into the reservoir. Based on the analyses, we conclude that the intensification of human activities without environmental concern exerts pressure on water resources, compromising water quality due to improper land use, pollution, and deforestation. Regarding land use and occupation studies, MapBiomas data were used to analyze land use from 1992 to 2022 in the municipalities of Corumbaíba, Caldas Novas, and Ipameri. A significant reduction in forest area and a marked increase in agriculture and urban expansion were observed. Additionally, the importance of sustainable land use in the UHE Corumbá region and the effectiveness of MapBiomas in land use analysis were highlighted. In the UHE Corumbá reservoir, the WQI results and MapBiomas usage showed significant changes in forest, non-natural formation, and agricultural classes over time, thus suggesting sustainable land management practices, zoning, balanced territorial planning, continuous land use monitoring, and community engagement. The main preservation measures include protecting native vegetation areas, controlling erosion, restoring degraded areas, and continuously monitoring land use. These actions proposed in the dissertation align with five Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), access to clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), resilient cities and communities (SDG 11), protection of life below water (SDG 14), and preservation of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15). The promotion of sustainable land and water management practices is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.