Hydrodynamic modeling of the Utinga source in Belém, Pará, Brazil

Current paper contributes towards a hydrodynamic modeling of the main drinking water source of Belem, the capital of the state of Para, Brazil. Belem is one of the largest cities in the Brazilian Amazon region, with a population of approximately 1,500,000 inhabitants. The Utinga water source is formed by lakes Agua Preta and Bologna connected by a canal. The literature presents the separate modeling of the lakes, without considering the canal, highlighting the motive of current research. Topography data were collected in the field to supplement data on the lakes and the canal data, provided by the local Sanitation and Water Supply Company (COSANPA) and by the Development and Administration Company of the Metropolitan Area of Belem (CODEM). The Saint–Venant 2D model vertically integrated had its equations discretized by the finite element method and applied to simulate velocities and depths of the lakes and the canal. The mesh generated is formed by six-node triangles (T6L). Mesh stores data on topography, substrate and boundary conditions. Resulting model revealed that the simulated depths and velocities corroborate those available in the literature, except in some cases when simulated velocities were slightly higher. In the case of the interconnecting canal, it is the first time that velocities and depths are simulated and analyzed. Simulated velocities and depths are input data for dispersion models of pollutants and sediment transport. Models must be developed to provide support for the management of water resources that supply most of the city. The above is important since irregular residences discharge untreated sewage into the Utinga source, favoring the proliferation of macrophytes in the lakes Bolonha and Agua Preta. Untreated sewage discharge also increases water treatment costs.