The use of natural discharges can represent the natural conditions in the basin and its evolution over the years, however, since this is a matter of recent concern, little is known about the impact of the use of natural flows in hydrological studies. The objective of this work is to evaluate the differential impact of natural discharges with respect to observed discharges for the Paracatu basin. The impact of the use of natural flows in the Paracatu basin was estimated for the average long-term discharges and the minimum discharges (Q7,10, Q95) and a punctual and a spatial analysis was made. The punctual analysis was made in the sections where the fluviometric stations are located, and the spatial analysis encompasses the entire basin where the discharges of Paracatu Rivers were obtained through the regionalization equation. The impact of the use of natural discharges in place of the observed discharges in the Paracatu basin are insignificant in the estimation of the long-term average discharges and are reasonably significant to the estimation of minimum discharges.
water resources; human actions; natural discharge
