Redução das perdas de solo com uso de terraços em uma pequena bacia hidrográfica: predição com a EUPs

Abstract

The Watershed (WS) allows the evaluation of the effects of land use, human occupation, and management practices adopted in hillside areas, providing information for prognostics aimed at a more assertive management and conservation of natural resources. Therefore, this study utilized the WS located at the Federal University of Technology - Paraná, Dois Vizinhos Campus, with the objective of assessing the predictive potential of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) to represent the impact of terrace implementation in reducing soil losses. The USLE aids in predicting erosion by using factors that analyze rainfall (R Factor – Erosivity), soil type (K Factor – Erodibility), slope length and steepness (LS Factors), land use and cover (C Factor), and conservation practices (P Factor) of the study area. By multiplying these factors, the soil loss factor, or A factor, was determined. The results showed greater soil loss in the watershed calculated without terraces, especially in the eastern region of the watershed, where agriculture predominates. Therefore, when there is a change in the P Factor, i.e., when conservation practices are applied, the USLE indicates a reduction in soil loss. With such information, the proposition of necessary and strategic improvements can be contemplated.