Typology and classification of preferential areas of groundwater recharge in Belo Horizonte-MG: application of Grade of Membership (GoM) method

Abstract

Hilltops are considered, in hydrogeomorphology, to be preferential areas for groundwater recharge. However, the passage of meteoric water into underground media depends essentially on the surface environmental characteristics. Thus, the objective of this work is to classify the hilltops of Belo Horizonte-MG, considering their efficiency in groundwater recharge. It is introduced a methodological innovation that uses remote sensing secondary data on a statistical model of maximum likelihood named Grade of Membership (GoM). Ideal types of hilltops were created in a function of the limiting and/or facilitating factors of underground recharge. Following this, the hilltops are rated according to the model answers (grade of membership of each hilltop to the ideal profiles set out). The results reaffirm the problems in groundwater recharge in Belo Horizonte that are a result of human occupation and natural limitations. It is believed that GoM is a very useful method of spatial analysis in geography. In the future, validation efforts from field tests need to be conducted.