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Rio presents Summer Plan 2024/2025 and totals R$3,3 billion in investments to prepare the city for the impacts of rain and heat
Published on 04/11/2024 - 10:54 | Updated on 04/11/2024 - 10:57
Since 2021, there have been 488 prevention, maintenance, rapid response and technology acquisition actions - Marcos de Paula/City of Rio On Monday (November 04), Rio de Janeiro City Hall presented its Summer Plan 11/2024, which outlines the main actions being taken to prepare the city for the upcoming season of heavy rains and intense heat. To deal with increasingly challenging climate scenarios, the government has invested a record R$2025 billion over the past four years. These funds have been invested in 3,3 initiatives for prevention, maintenance, rapid response, and technology acquisition. The main goals are to make the city more resilient and protect Rio residents.
The Summer Plan, which is the result of the work of 36 agencies, departments, public companies and sub-prefectures, includes works to contain slopes, drainage and urban infrastructure, maintenance actions such as pruning trees, dredging rivers and cleaning storm drains and drains, acquisition and operation of new technologies for monitoring and forecasting weather, in addition to the creation and operation of protocols to guide the population on days of heavy rain and intense heat. The City Hall also announced infrastructure works in Jardim Maravilha, Acari, Realengo and Bacia do Canal do Mangue to correct historical flooding problems.
– More than just an account of what the City Hall has done to prepare the city for the summer, this moment is a way to start alerting the population to this period in which the strongest weather events can occur, with the consequences that we are all aware of. Rio is a city that, historically, has had episodes of heavy rains in the summer that cause a lot of disruption and that, unfortunately, have caused many deaths throughout history. However, since 2010, especially since the creation of the Operations Center, Rio has been trying to minimize the impacts of these rains. Obviously, this is the responsibility of the government, making the necessary infrastructure interventions, but the population also has an important role to play, as they need to be vigilant and collaborate with the authorities so that we can spend the summer in a way that the impact of the rains is as traumatic as possible and that we avoid deaths in the city. The partnership of the population is essential, especially the most vulnerable, who live in communities, in risk areas and areas subject to landslides – stated Mayor Eduardo Paes, during a press conference at the Rio Operations Center (COR).
Jardim Maravilha will get a dike to contain the advance of flooding. Acari will have its riverbed urbanized
The City of Rio is working to improve the lives of the population in four locations with a history of serious flooding: Jardim Maravilha, in Guaratiba; Acari, in the North Zone; Realengo, in the West Zone; and the Mangue Canal Basin, in Greater Tijuca.
– Rio Acari and Jardim Maravilha will still be critical areas this summer and will probably be for two or three more summers, but the good news is that the works have already begun and the resources have been made available by the Federal Government. Realengo is not in the same situation as the other two, but we have also managed to secure the resources for the works. And we are going to start another set of interventions in the Mangue Canal Basin in Greater Tijuca. These are all very expensive interventions, so we are prioritizing the PAC resources from the Federal Government for Rio Acari, Jardim Maravilha, Realengo and the Mangue Canal – said the mayor.
For the Acari River, the main objective of the works is to mitigate flooding, positively impacting nine neighborhoods and an estimated population of 79 people. The Federal Government will finance R$350 million for the execution of the works, which are in the administrative process phase. The project will benefit the 3,8-kilometer stretch of the riverbed, which is located in the final stretch of the basin, comprising the neighborhoods of Jardim América and Acari.
For Jardim Maravilha, the proposal provides a sustainable solution to the constant flooding in the region. Inspired by Dutch projects, the interventions aim to contain the flooding of the Cabuçu-Piraquê River, providing the infrastructure necessary for the subdivision. A dike of over 3,4 kilometers will be built around this river, which will function as a large dam. The federal government has allocated R$340 million, through the PAC, for this project, which is in the administrative process phase.
In Realengo, the flood prevention project for the region will involve interventions in the Piraquara and Catarino Rivers, benefiting approximately 215 people in the neighborhoods of Realengo and Padre Miguel. Bernardo de Vasconcelos Street, Santa Cruz Avenue and surrounding roads will be covered. The project includes channeling the Catarino River and improving the drainage network of the roads, as well as a reservoir for the Piraquara River, channeling and dredging of this river. The capacity of the Piscinão de Realengo is equivalent to the reservoir in Praça da Bandeira. The project is currently out for bid and the total budget is R$137,2 million.
In Greater Tijuca, the second phase of flood control work involves the construction of a tunnel to divert excess water from the Maracanã River, which will be connected to the Joana River diversion, which has already been built. The project also includes diverting the Trapicheiros River through a gallery and improving the micro-drainage system on streets in the Lower Tijuca and Rua Morais e Silva and surrounding areas. The project is currently undergoing administrative procedures with Caixa Econômica Federal. The budget for the project is R$121 million.
Investments of R$1,7 billion in drainage works, slopes and infrastructure to prevent floods and landslides
Investments in four years in works to prevent flooding and landslides in the city reached R$1,7 billion. These include works to contain slopes, drainage, urbanization, channeling rivers and eliminating critical flooding points.
Among the works of the Infrastructure Department, the highlight is the Bairro Maravilha program, which has been transforming more than 2021 locations in the city since 113. The streets receive drainage to improve the capacity to drain rainwater, basic sanitation, a drinking water network and paving, with the construction of sidewalks. An urbanization that has been ensuring a better quality of life for the population.
Corrective interventions were carried out at critical flooding points mapped by COR, covering sections such as Borges de Medeiros Avenue, in Lagoa; Alexandre Calaza Street, in Vila Isabel; Estrada da Pedra in Guaratiba; and Estrada do Catonho with Estrada do Cafundá, in Jacarepaguá. In Paciência, Vila Alzira is still underway and is expected to be completed this year.
Also under the responsibility of Infrastructure, the construction of Morar Carioca do Aço, in the West Zone, is another example of how to transform people's lives and prepare the city for climate challenges. With an investment of R$243 million, in an area of 195 thousand square meters, the community of Aço, in Santa Cruz, is gaining 704 housing units, directly benefiting four thousand people. The homes have already begun to be delivered in the region that has received urban infrastructure improvements, such as drainage, basic sanitation and paving.
Flood prevention initiatives in the city include drainage, urbanization and river channeling interventions, carried out by the Rio-Águas Foundation. Around 60 drainage and infrastructure projects have been carried out during this administration, of which 42 have been completed. Projects are underway, such as those in the Maravilha Jardim Maravilha neighborhood in Guaratiba, and the Maravilha neighborhood in the Rollas Community in Santa Cruz.
In an effort to reduce recurring flooding points, more than 120 mega drains and manholes were installed through the Drain Factory program. Large-scale mega drains are connected to larger drainage networks and are capable of draining large volumes to reduce pockets of water.
Record for cleaning and unclogging storm water drains: 3,5 kilometers
The cleaning and unblocking of storm water drains throughout the city broke a record during this administration: 3,5 kilometers, the equivalent of the distance between Rio and the city of Porto Velho, in Rondônia. In four years, approximately R$230 million was invested in this work, carried out by the Department of Conservation.
This type of action has grown year after year in this administration. While in 2021, 299,23 kilometers of galleries were cleaned, in 2022 the work more than doubled, closing at 631,77 kilometers. In 2023, 1.207,62 kilometers were unblocked. And in 2024, 1.337,89 kilometers of galleries were cleaned until September, 347% more than in 2021.
Comlurb actively contributes to drainage improvements, participating annually in the Clean Drain Operation, in the pre-summer period, with preventive actions, seeking to minimize the impacts caused by rain. Last year, the Company cleaned around 23 thousand drain boxes mapped by COR in critical flooding points. This year, the operation is in its initial phase. In 2024, in the routine sweeping service, the company's street cleaners cleaned more than 538 thousand drain boxes throughout the city.
More than 420 kilometers of rivers desilted in four years
Since 2021, Rio de Janeiro City Hall has been investing heavily in preparing the city to face the effects of extreme weather events. Over the past four years, the Rio-Águas Foundation has desilted more than 420 kilometers of rivers, removing a total of more than 1,5 million tons of material from the bottom of the canals by September 2024. Investments in canal maintenance and desilting during this administration totaled R$162 million.
More than 557 thousand tree pruning and management operations since 2021
Comlurb has performed more than 557 tree pruning and management services in four years. The company has a specialized team of almost 400 street cleaners who work every day of the year, and during the summer, there is an increase in the number of shifts, working full time, including on Sundays. Over the last four years, R$73 million has been invested in purchasing specific machinery for the service.
The productivity of tree management and pruning has increased with the acquisition of new vehicles and equipment. In 2021, 121.233 tree pruning operations were recorded; and in 2022, 126.665 services. The results will appear in 2023, with 169.276 tree pruning operations. In 2024, from January to September, the service will already total 140.662 tree pruning operations.
City Hall invests R$400 million in creating parks
The Rio City Hall has invested in the creation of new parks that expand the city's vegetation coverage, in addition to offering thermal comfort to the residents and using the sponge city technique to reduce the impacts of rain. The initiatives are taking place mainly in the North and West zones, where five new green areas are being implemented that will total an investment of R$400 million.
Over the past four years, Rio de Janeiro City Hall has already delivered the first phase of Parque Oeste, in Inhoaíba, which will cover an area of over 234 square meters when completed. The local green area will be preserved and 1,1 trees and 34 square meters of gardens are planned. The park includes thermal comfort solutions such as a water staircase that is already in operation and a floodplain (reservoir) that collects rainwater and then disperses it. The park will also house the Olympic swimming pool from the Rio 2016 Games, which will be rebuilt inside the Olympic Village that will be located on the site.
With 77 thousand square meters, the Parque Realengo Susana Naspolini, already inaugurated, gained 3.700 new trees in an area equivalent to nine soccer fields. The park also has five towers that release water vapor on visitors. At ground level, there is a water mirror with aquatic gardens. The Parque Carioca Pavuna, also already inaugurated, has a water fountain with a 22-meter tower, offering freshness to visitors, in addition to a wet area. The land is within the Chapadão Community and has been landscaped, with flowerbeds of shrubs and planting of 320 trees of different species native to the Atlantic Forest, palm trees, a vegetable garden and ground cover.
Rita Lee Park, located in Barra da Tijuca, has 136 m² and offers Rio residents a wet square, a forest and 1.100 new trees, in addition to 70 bushes. Sports and leisure facilities complete the green area. One of the highlights is the wet square. With 2.600 m², the children's play area has 47 metal structures that simulate trees, from which 190 treated water jets come out.
Piedade Park, in the city's North Zone, still under construction, will occupy the area of the former Gama Filho University campus, and will include leisure areas and a cultural, sports and educational center. The space will have an urban garden, a water park with an artificial waterfall, among other improvements.
537 thousand new seedling plantings in four years
In addition to the new parks, the City of Rio has also invested in reforestation and tree planting programs. Since 2021, this work has resulted in 537 new seedlings being planted, either through joint efforts under the Refloresta Rio program or through compensatory measures defined within urban planning licenses. With Refloresta Rio alone, from the Department of Environment and Climate, almost 368 seedlings have been planted since 2021, mainly in the APA of Inhoaíba Santa Eugênia and Cantagalo, in Serra da Posse and Serra de Sulacap. The remaining 169 seedlings are the result of compensatory measures.
The Department of Environment and Climate has also implemented more than 22 kilometers of Green Corridors, reinforcing the tree planting on streets in Bangu, Irajá, Vista Alegre, Cordovil, Brás de Pina, and Vila da Penha. The same work is being implemented on 11 kilometers of roads in Complexo do Alemão and Guaratiba.
First Summer of the Heat Protocol
Summer 2024/2025 will be the first after the creation of the Extreme Heat Response Protocol, which details health assistance and surveillance measures. The unprecedented protocol creates standards for communication and preparation of contingency plans and possible interventions in the municipality's operations, such as adapting essential outdoor activities, expanding care services, indicating public cooling equipment and even postponing or canceling large-scale events, depending on the assessment of the meteorological scenario. The document is available at SMS portal.
The heat levels were presented to the population in June and set by decree. The classification has five risk levels – from NC1 to NC5 –, which vary according to the temperature and relative humidity recorded in the city. The NC also considers numerical temperature forecast models estimated for three days and updated every four hours. In case of a change in the classification, the COR, responsible for monitoring the NC, issues alerts to the population through the agency's main communication channels and the SMS: website, social media, app and other channels for relating to the press.
The parameters and concepts used in the development of the protocol were defined by COR in partnership with the Health Department, based on research on the effects of high temperatures on human health and the heat stress mitigation protocols in force throughout the world.
City will have 52 cooling points
One of the initiatives linked to the Heat Protocol is the indication of cooling points throughout the city so that the population can take shelter and reduce thermal stress on days of extreme heat. The City Hall has listed 52 public facilities, such as built or natural parks, Knowledge Ships and Olympic Villages, which can be used by the population when temperatures rise above reasonable levels, as a way to alleviate the heat. With the COR app, Rio residents will be informed of the closest cooling points, so that they can use them if they wish.
First Summer with two weather radars: equipment in Serra do Mendanha goes into operation
This will also be the first summer in which Rio will be fully monitored by two weather radars. Purchased last year, the radar in Serra do Mendanha, in the West Zone, began operating in March. With an investment of R$6,8 million, the X-band technology radar is considered the most modern equipment of its kind. It has expanded the city's capacity for short-term weather forecasting. Imported from Finland, the radar allows for a more complete reading of rain nuclei, and is even capable of predicting the possibility of hail. With the operation of the equipment, Rio became the first city in the country to have two of its own weather radars.
Another technology that is already being used is the Atmospheric Discharge and Severe Storm Monitoring and Alert System, contracted by COR. In addition to being a tool for detecting and counting lightning strikes, the system reads the rain nuclei that are approaching the city, providing an overview of their complexity and importance. The tool allows for short-term forecasts of the occurrence of lightning strikes over the city. In addition, it helps to estimate the speed at which storms are moving, as well as the direction and intensity of the rain. It is, therefore, a product that complements the information from radars and meteorological satellites. With this technology, the city government can anticipate storm forecasts and improve decision-making in times of heavy rain.
The COR also has other technologies at its disposal. As a result of a partnership with NASA, the city was the first to use the Landslide Hazard Assessment Model for Situational Awareness (Lhasa Rio), which monitors the risk of landslides. Rio was the first local and operational implementation of the US space agency's global landslide model. In addition to knowing where rainfall is heaviest and where there is a risk of landslides, the Operations Center can monitor whether these risks could affect the vicinity of streets, avenues and roads in the city.
COR is a model for creating an Operations Center in Brazil
Founded on December 31, 2010, after heavy rains hit the city that same year, COR has established itself as a national reference for emergency response centers for incidents that disrupt citizens' daily lives. Teams from the Alerta Rio System, the City Hall's meteorological department, work in shifts 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The weather forecast is updated four times a day – one every six hours. Meteorologists use satellite images to make medium-term forecasts and the City Hall's two meteorological radars (Sumaré and Mendanha).
The excellence of the COR has made it a model for the creation of similar facilities in other Brazilian cities. Last May, the City of Rio, in partnership with the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT), celebrated the launch of the “ABNT Recommended Practice PR 1021 – City Operations Center — Implementation”. This unprecedented document in the country is a kind of manual that establishes guidelines for the implementation of an operations center in any city in the country.
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