Evaluation of rainfall patterns in Lavras, Minas Gerais, before and after the formation of the Funil Lake

Abstract

Water has a wide range of uses in civilization. Water resources are closely linked to climate change, which has become the object of several studies in the recent decade. The goal of this study was to evaluate the tendencies of the rainfall patterns in the region of Lavras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, after the formation of the Funil Lake. The study used daily rainfall data (1987 to 2017) from the BDMEP database, available on the Brazilian Meteorology Institute (INMET) website. Analysis of variation was conducted using the Mann-Kendall test for monthly mean rainfall, rainy and the dry season of the year, before and after the lake formation, LFB and LFA, respectively. It was verified, for the LFB period, that April and August had significant tendencies. For the LFA, the months February, June, July, and December reached significant tendencies. The LFA period in the rainy season had a significant negative tendency, and the LFB period in the dry season had a significant negative tendency, as well. These significant tendencies cases show that the formation of the Funil Lake did not trigger any relevant change in the rainfall regime in the region.