Non-Point Source Pollution Models Applied to an Urban Watershed

This study is part of a research project called HIDROECO, a network focused on quantifying changes in the hydrological cycle due to anthropogenic activities in urban watersheds located in Brazil's southern, southeastern, and northeastern regions. One of the main challenges the planner faces is to anticipate and manage the impacts before they become reality. Within this context, it is crucial to conduct studies that afford forecasts, especially in watersheds undergoing urbanization, such as the Mineirinho brook watershed, located in São Carlos, Brazil. Thus, the objective of this study is to carry out quantitative and qualitative water analyses considering different land use scenarios and using geoprocessing and mathematical modeling tools. This study evidenced the need for monitoring and calibration of runoff and non-point source pollution models parameters, given that the runoff volume and pollutant loads generated depend on many variables, such as land use patterns, hydrological and topographic characteristics of the watershed, vegetation, season, street sweeping, and practices of urban space management.