Overview

In view of the country's growth rates and the consequent increase in demand for electricity, the search for alternatives to guarantee the supply of the necessary energy has become imperative. Small Hydroelectric Power Plants (SHPPs) stand out as clean, fast and low-investment generation alternatives, but they also require environmental licensing. The aim of this study was to carry out a forest inventory in the area of a SHP in the licensing phase, in the municipality of Pinhal Grande, RS. Vegetation was measured at the access to the dam, the shaft below the dam, the reservoir, the access road, the penstock, the powerhouse, the shaft of the intake canal and the banks of the watercourse. The survey recorded 107 species in 42 families, totaling 2,844 individuals, with the Myrtaceae and Fabaceae families standing out and the Podocarpus lambertii and Sebastiania brasiliensis species showing the highest coverage rates. The Shannon diversity index was 3.71, proving high floristic diversity at the site.