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Accelerated erosion in a watershed in the southeastern region of Brazil

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Abstract

An understanding of erosive processes and the washing away of sediments to watersheds is an essential tool for decision makers planning water resource use. This study assessed the potential for surface runoff due to natural attributes together with land use/land cover to highlight the potential for accelerated erosion in the Araras River Watershed (352.77 km2) at a 1:50,000 scale. The analytic hierarchy process was used with the data provided to combine geoenvironmental attributes (soil, rock, water, relief and land use/land cover) that trigger erosive processes. Just over 51 % of the basin area presented an average potential for surface runoff, while 76.5 % presented a low to average potential for accelerated erosion. Despite this, upstream areas used for water collection for Araras city show a medium to high potential for surface runoff and accelerated erosion, reducing water infiltration and recharge, and resulting in the silting of reservoirs and water quality damage.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES) and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for supporting the development of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Sciences Department, Federal University of São Carlos - Campus São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235 - SP-310, São Carlos, SP, CEP 13565-905, Brazil

    Mariana Dorici, Carlos Wilmer Costa, Mayra Cristina Prado de Moraes, Fabiola Geovanna Piga & Luiz Eduardo Moschini

  2. Civil Engineering Department, Federal University of São Carlos - Campus São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís, km 235 - SP-310, São Carlos, SP, CEP 13565-905, Brazil

    Reinaldo Lorandi

  3. Civil Engineering Department, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho” - Campus Ilha Solteira, Avenida Brasil, 56, Centro, Ilha Solteira, SP, CEP 15385-000, Brazil

    José Augusto de Lollo

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  1. Mariana Dorici
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  2. Carlos Wilmer Costa
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  4. Fabiola Geovanna Piga
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Correspondence to Mariana Dorici.

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Dorici, M., Costa, C.W., de Moraes, M.C.P. et al. Accelerated erosion in a watershed in the southeastern region of Brazil. Environ Earth Sci 75, 1301 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-016-6102-7

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