Abstract

REZENDE, Jozrael Henriques; PIRES, José Salatiel Rodrigues  and  MENDIONDO, Eduardo Mario. Hydrologic pulses and remaining natural vegetation in Jaú and Jacaré-Pepira watersheds. Braz. arch. biol. technol. [online]. 2010, vol.53, n.5, pp. 1127-1136. ISSN 1516-8913.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-89132010000500017.

The aim of this work was to study the influence of natural vegetation in two subwatersheds of the Tietê-Jacaré Water Resources Management Unit in São Paulo State on the pulse of their rivers. In Jacaré-Pepira Subwatershed, having higher remaining cover index, pulses were more predictable and had lower amplitude in the study period, indicating less perturbation of the water body and higher resilience of the aquatic ecosystem. Jacaré-Pepira River specific mean discharge was higher than the Q_5% calculated through the Hydrologic Regionalization Method for São Paulo State, whereas Jaú River mean discharge was lower than Q_5%. The minimum discharge recorded for Jacaré-Pepira River was higher than Q_7.10 and equal to Q_95%, whereas for Jaú River this value was practically equal to Q_7,10 and lower than Q_95%..

Keywords : discharge; watershed; remaining vegetation cover.