In this basin, an analysis of surface water resources and land use
provided useful information for the assessment of water
availability.
The rivers that contribute to the studied basin feature an upper
portion with sharp slopes, high rainfall and a torrential river
regime. The middle and lower portions developed in the plains,
where the rivers exhibit a low-flow velocity. Urban occupation,
which is intense in the lowland region (Fig. 2), attains a level of
84% occupation (INEA, 2003).
The region consists of 133 slums and 24 clandestine or irregular
settlements. Of the 7015.99 acres in the region, only 415.43 acres
are composed of natural areas.
This basin is the most atmospherically polluted basin in the city
of Rio de Janeiro. Its neighborhoods are characterized by the highest
densities and lowest incomes in the city. They are linked by a
set of primary collector roads and arterial roads, which enable
the region to serve as a passage area. The pollution characteristics
of Canal do Cunha are superior to the standards adopted for class 3
brackish water in resolution 357 (CONAMA, 2005).