Changes in the water temperature and in the thermal stratification dynamics can be responsible for negative effects on physical, chemical and biological processes of reservoirs. The temperature variation affects the water density and, consequently, alters the transport processes. A one-dimensional model of thermal evolution is used to simulate the temperature of Rio Verde reservoir, located in the Curitiba metropolitan area, Paraná state, Brazil. The finite difference method was employed for the numerical solution of the equation. The model was calibrated and validated by means of the data from two different months: July 2009 and March 2010. The results show a good agreement between simulated and observed values. These results still allow evaluating the relationships between the depth of the thermocline with solar radiation and wind speed.
temperature model; Rio Verde Reservoir; stratification
