Seleção de parâmetros hidrológicos para avaliação da alteração do regime de escoamento em Portugal Continental

Abstract

The use of indicators to characterize the hydrological regime of a river system allows evaluating the degree of alteration of that regime as a result of dam construction or climate change. Together with information about the impact of changing the flow regime in habitat conditions, it is also useful to define the flow conditions that ensure good ecological status of the river system. Being high the number of hydrological parameters that can be adopted, we present a methodology that identifies the most appropriate parameters to describe the main characteristics of the hydrological regime and its possible alteration. This article analyzes 66 hydrological parameters, measuring them for 36 gauging stations with more than 15 years of record in natural regime. Using a principal components analysis are recognized patterns of redundancy between the different parameters, and are presents recommendations for selecting a parsimonious set of parameters that adequately characterizes the hydrological regime. Based on this set it is possible to define indicators of hydrologic alteration that assess the degree of alteration of the flow regime. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]