Support of the Water Energy Resource Assessment of Brazil

Objectives

To support the Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory in assessing the total potential energy that could be developed from low-head hydropower in Brazil. Support is provided by analyzing reports to determine if previously published Brazilian regression equations for estimating the mean flows will be suitable for use in the INL study and to determine new regression equations for estimating the mean flows for any areas of Brazil where they are needed. The equations will be applied by the USGS EROS Data Center to estimate mean flows and change in elevation for each stream reach in Brazil. These values will be used to estimate the potential hydroelectric energy that could be generated at each reach and an assessment tool will be developed by the INL to aid in locating promising sites for installation of lowhead hydropower generation.

Statement of Problem

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Strategy and Approach

Existing mean-flow regression equations developed by various universities in Brazil will be assessed to determine potential applicability for use in this study. USGS will summarize the available regression equations and make recommendations to the INL as to what area of Brazil will need new regression equations, if any. Subsequently, USGS will develop new equations for any areas where they are needed. USGS will describe the new equations and methods used to develop them in a document that will be published as part of a larger report by the INL. The equations will be used by the USGS EROS Data Center to estimate mean flow and change in elevation along each stream reach in Brazil. These values will in turn be used to compute the total potential hydroelectric power that could be generated for each reach.