Characterization of the Reservoirs in the Crateús Hinterland Basin According to the Dam Safety Law 12,334/2010 Using Satellite Images

Abstract

This study characterizes the earth dams in the Crateús Hinterland Basin, aiming to align them with legal criteria. Using waterbody mappings from FUNCEME and satellite images from Google Earth, 21 natural reservoirs, 1 concrete dam, 86 artificial lakes, and 282 earth dams were identified. GIS tools (ArcGIS) provided information on geographic location, area, perimeter, and basin slope. Based on simplified methodologies from Araújo et al. (2012), the heights and volumes of the 282 earth dams were estimated. The results were validated using Fernandes' (2018) method, which compared data from 10 known reservoirs with the estimates, achieving coefficients of 0.999 for volumes and 0.992 for heights, demonstrating a good approximation between real and estimated data. The dams were classified according to Law 12,334/2010, considering dam height, reservoir volume, Risk Category (CRI), and Associated Potential Damage (DPA). Of the 282 earth dams analyzed, 55 met at least one of the legal criteria. Among these, 9 are monitored by the government, while 46 are private dams with no available information regarding their safety and maintenance.