Time Series Trends of Streamflow and Rainfall in The Santo AntÔnio River Basin, Brazil

Abstract

Detecting trends in streamflow and rainfall series can have great significance for proper water resource management. Thus, the objective of this study was to analyze the trends of historical streamflow and rainfall series using nonparametric statistical tests. A historical series of pluviometric and fluviometric gauges, which belong to the hydrometeorological network of the Brazilian Water National Agency in the Santo Antônio River Basin, Brazil, from 1985 to 2014 were used. By applying statistical tests, it was found that the time series are independent and random, and from the total 24 rainfall gauges evaluated, 12 presented nonstationary behavior, exhibiting mostly decreasing trends. Based on the six fluviometric gauges used for the annual streamflow series, only the annual data of one gauge tended to decrease to the minimum streamflow. However, for the monthly series, three gauges showed decreasing trends between July and September. This decrease in streamflow may be a consequence of rainfall reductions, high water demand, and changes in land use and cover.