POTENTIAL OF SEDIMENT TRANSFERRING AND SUSCEPTIBLE TO AGGRADATION OF THE HYDROGRAPHIC NETWORK OF THE UPPER COURSE ARAGUAIA RIVER - 10.5216/bgg.v35i1.35489

Abstract

The hydrographic network of the upper course of the Araguaia River is responsible to capture and discharge its sedimentary load to the middle course. Parts of the hydrographic network do this work with different degrees of efficiency. This paper evaluates the potential of sediment transferring from hydrographic network of the upper course of the Araguaia and indicates stretches of fluvial channels susceptible to aggradation. Sub-basins with higher potential of sediment transferring are efficient to discharge its sedimentary load into the Araguaia River, while sub-basins with lower potential are inefficient to do that work, being susceptible to aggradation. The potentials of sediment transferring were determinate with SIG software by combination of morphometric parameters of the hydrographic network, while stretches susceptible to aggradation by combination between those potentials, the longitudinal profiles and distribution of the floodplains. The network of the upper course of the Araguaia River presented three sub-basins with medium-low potential of sediment transferring, two subbasins with medium potential, two with medium-high potential and four sub-basins with high potential. The sub-basins with higher potentials of sediment transferring are located at North from study area, while stretches susceptible to aggradation are located in the central part of the study area.
Key words: fluvial morphometry, longitudinal profile, sediment transport.