Morphometric characterization and space-temporal analysis of the use and occupation of the surface of the rio Gramame/PB hydrographic basin

Abstract

The Gramame River Basin is facing an advanced process of degradation caused by the intensive use of its natural resources, which has compromised the availability of water to supply the region. In this context, this study aimed to characterize geo morphometrically the Gramame River Basin and analyze space-temporally its use and occupation through a surface analysis. In order to achieve it, the characterization of the terrain was performed through SRTM images, which gave subsidies to obtain the morphometric parameters; and analysis of the historical dynamics, usage and occupation of the surface through images of the Landsat 5 and 8 satellite of the TM and OLI sensors respectively. It was identified that the basin has predominantly flat land, is dendritic or arborescent, classified according to the hierarchy of channels ranging to 5th order. The morphometric parameters classified the basin as elongated, which prevents large concentrations of outflow, therefore, the basin is little prone to floods and spates. From the analysis of the vegetation, it was identified that more than 80% of the landscapes of the Basin have undergone some degree of modification caused by anthropic activities, represented mainly by agriculture, livestock and urban expansion.