The challenges of the Brazilian electric energy regulatory agency on mitigate effects from 2024 Rio Grande do Sul floods


Figure 3. Map showing some of the state’s major river systems emptying into Lagoa dos Patos, at the northwestern tip of which Porto Alegre is located[21]


As far as vegetation is concerned, it is characterized by the presence of two important Brazilian biomes:


the Atlantic Forest and the Pampa. The Atlantic Forest is located in the north-northeast of the country, occupying 37% of its area. However, as explained by Rodrigues et al[10]


, its distribution is inhomogeneous


and highly fragmented. It is estimated that the remaining area corresponds to only 7.5% of the original vegetation cover. The remaining 63% of the state’s area is occupied by the Pampa, which stretches across the entire southern half and the western border, with the presence of grasses, creeping plants and some trees, shrubs and bushes. In the context of climate variability, rainfall is one of the most important variables, as its behavior influences environmental, economic and social dynamics[10]


. The hydrology of the state of Rio Grande


do Sul is characterized by a rainfall regime that varies throughout the year. Alternating periods of drought and heavy rainfall create constant challenges for water management. Precipitation is well distributed throughout the year, due to the fact that the region is located in a band of mid-latitudes that receives precipitation systems of tropical and extratropical origin[10,11]


. Reboita et al[12]


However, average monthly rainfall is not spatially homogeneous and varies seasonally. According to , the northern half of RS generally has higher precipitation figures, except in the coldest half


of the year, when the presence of southern polar air masses makes the distribution of precipitation more homogeneous, causing the south of the state to have its highest volumes in this period. In addition, there are changes in the precipitation regime when phenomena such as La Niña and El Niño occur.


Vol XXXIII Issue 3 | Dam Engineering | 161


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