Thanks to the preventive actions taken on the operation of its hydraulic system, EMAE is able to avoid that the areas located in the Pinheiros River valley suffer with the constant floods, to which they would be subjected during periods of heavy rains, in addition to being able to help contribute with flood control by means of its reservoirs. The operation of the flood management has as objective to diminish and lead the affluent flood waves to several points of the system, therefore reducing the flooding risks.
This operation scheme includes: total floodgates opening advancement of Edgard de Souza Dam, enabling the natural flow to the Tietê waters; the separation of the Pinheiros and the Tietê basins, by means of the closing of the Retiro Structure; the activation of the pumping stations of Traição and Pedreira to control the water level of the Pinheiros Channel and the use of the waiting volumes of the Billings, Guarapiranga, Pedras and Pirapora reservoirs, in order to diminish flood waves of their own basins, and to minimize the risk of downstream flooding in the Pinheiros, Tietê and Cubatão rivers.
In order to increase the flow rate capacity of the Pinheiros
Channel, EMAE permanently removes the silt, sand
and trash deposited there with time and that is considered as harmful to the
channel operation, because these materials accumulate and can cause the obstruction
of the protection rails for the pumping system of the step up plants of Traição
and Pedreira, hence impairing the operation
of the pumps when their use in full force becomes necessary.