Analysis of appropriate timescales for water diversion permits in Brazil.

Agreement on the criteria for granting the right to use water resources between governing bodies represents a significant advance in the process of sharing water use. To aid water resource management agencies in optimizing water use, the impact of using different criteria for permitting water use in the Paracatu river basin, Brazil, was evaluated in this study. The streamflow criteria corresponding to 30 % of the annual Q(7,10) (used by the governing body of Minas Gerais), 70 % of the annual Q(95) (used by the governing body of the union), 30 % of the monthly Q(7,10), and 70 % of the monthly Q(95) were evaluated.