The confirmation of the El Niño phenomenon and the forecast of above-average rainfall for the South Region led Florianópolis City Hall to reinforce preventive work to clean rivers, streams, canals and ditches throughout the city. The action is part of a package of measures adopted by the municipality to increase response capacity in the face of extreme weather events and reduce the risks of flooding and floods. Executed daily by the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development, with support from the Subsecretariat for Basic Sanitation, the service is part of the actions foreseen in the climate alert state decree published on June 11, after confirmation of El Niño by federal monitoring bodies. Permanent preparation for periods of rain More than a response to the current climate scenario, the maintenance of the river network is part of continuous work carried out by the municipality since 2022. During this period, Florianópolis has already surpassed the mark of 828 kilometers of clean watercourses, the result of daily action in all neighborhoods of the Capital. The best performance in the historical series was recorded in 2023, when 246 kilometers of rivers, canals and streams were cleaned. In 2025, the municipality once again surpassed the 200 kilometer mark, reaching 223 kilometers of serviced length and benefiting 503 water courses. The teams work daily following a permanent maintenance schedule, which also incorporates demands identified in technical inspections, inspections and requests from the population. At the end of each month, the services performed are evaluated to define action planning for the following period. Technical criteria define priorities The choice of locations served considers factors such as history of flooding, level of obstruction of water courses, accumulation of sediment and waste, in addition to the conditions verified by teams in the field. Strategic points are also prioritized before periods of higher rainfall and areas that require interventions after climate events. Depending on the characteristics of each location, cleaning can be carried out manually, in areas that are difficult to access, or mechanized, using excavators, backhoes, trucks and other equipment to remove sand, vegetation and materials accumulated in the beds of rivers and canals. Currently, the operation mobilizes 15 operational assistants and street cleaners from Comcap, five machine operators and four drivers, in addition to a fleet made up of four hydraulic excavators, a backhoe loader, four dump trucks and various support equipment. Reinforcement in the cleaning of rivers and canals in the Capital Felipe Szterling/PMF More efficient drainage system The objective of the interventions is to increase the rainwater drainage capacity, reducing obstructions caused by solid waste, excessive vegetation and accumulated sediments. Although preventive cleaning does not eliminate the impacts caused by extreme events, it helps to reduce the risk of overflows and localized flooding, making the drainage system more efficient during periods of intense rainfall. Package of actions to face El Niño In addition to maintaining the river network, the municipality put into practice a set of measures to increase the city's resilience in the face of the climate phenomenon. Among the actions are reinforcing the maintenance of drainage systems, investments in expanding the drainage network, interventions in hillside areas and the training of teams responsible for responding to climate events. The coordination of these initiatives is carried out by a municipal committee led by the Undersecretariat for Civil Protection and Defense, which brings together municipal departments, state and federal agencies, public service concessionaires, universities, community entities and civil society organizations. The measures were adopted after the publication of Bulletin No. 1 of the El Niño Panel 2026-2027, prepared by INPE, INMET, ANA, Cemaden, Geological Survey of Brazil and the National Secretariat for Protection and Civil Defense. The document confirms the configuration of the phenomenon and indicates a probability of over 90% that it will persist until the beginning of 2027, with the possibility of a very strong El Niño between spring and summer. For the quarter from July to September, the forecast is for above-average rainfall in most of the South Region. Tavares River is an example of the interventions Among the main works already carried out is the restoration of the artificial drainage channel for the Tavares River basin, in the South of the Island. Without receiving maintenance since its implementation in 1985, the canal underwent an extensive cleaning and unblocking process that began in March 2023. Along its 2.5 kilometer length, the width was increased from two to seven meters, while the average depth increased from 0.5 to 3.5 meters, significantly increasing the water flow capacity and reinforcing the prevention of flooding in the region. According to Law No. 10,199, the City Hall informs that the production of this content was free of charge and its publication cost an average of R$ 2,550.00. Visit the PMF website and stay up to date with the latest news!