THE IMPACT OF DRY AND WET EVENTS ON SUBTROPICAL PERI-URBAN SHALLOW LAKES:

A CONTRIBUTION TO URBAN PLANNING OF CORRIENTES CITY (ARGENTINA)

Abstract

Knowing the hydrological response of subtropical urban shallow lakes subjected to drought or flood events is essential to guide sustainable urban space management policies. The province of Corrientes (Argentina) presents a landscape characterized by numerous subtropical shallow lakes in which urban structures are built on its edges. In this context, the study of rainfall variability and its effects on these water bodies is crucial to generate an early warning system to reduce the risk of flood. In this sense, this study aims to analyse the rainfall variability of Corrientes as well as the morphometric changes in the shallow lakes and ponds during normal rainfall events and extreme events such as floods and droughts. Meteorological data from the period 1962-2018 were analysed applying normal, quintiles methods and a standardized precipitation index. Dry and wet events were identified and subsequently, satellite images were studied to measure the building area. Results demonstrate that the peri-urban shallow lakes have a relationship with the pluviometrical events and they vary immediately in line with local climate conditions, exposing the areas of these lakes to be replaced by urban buildings. These water bodies change their size and even dry out, although there are extreme events of flooding.