Water footprint of the Sobradinho hydropower plant, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Hydroelectricity is responsible for the greatest fraction of the electric energy generated in Brazil. The water footprint of hydropower plants (WFP) is an important indicator of the sustainable and efficient use of water resources. In this context, WFP of the Sobradinho Hydropower Plant was determined for the period from 2003 to 2012, taking into account the reservoir’s historical variation for the flooded area. To accomplish this, monthly series of electric energy production, flooded area, evaporation and evapotranspiration rates were used. Average gross and net evaporation were 2,031 and 1,577 mm year-1, respectively. The average power generation of this facility in the analyzed period was 462 MW, and the flooded area of its reservoir presented an average value of 3,054 km². Based on the monthly data, the gross and net water footprints were, respectively, 417 and 325 m³ GJ-1. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the changes in the reservoir’s area exert direct and important influence on the WFP estimates of the Sobradinho hydropower plant. The WFP estimates in this study were different from other studies that adopted a constant value of 4,214 km² for this reservoir’s area, which is taken based on the normal water level of the plant operation.