The GIS-IDRISI was used to check land use adequacy from 1997 to 1998, in the initial part of the Rio Pardo basin, in Botucatu/Pardinho (SP), to obtain a suitable land use planning of the area. The classes and subclasses of land capability were determined according to the Land Capability Classification System. The lands of the studied area were classified as: class VIe, lands with erosion susceptibility (90.49%); class Va, flat lands, with no erosion risk, but limited by excess of water (3.48%); class IIIa, flat lands with excess of water (3.34%); class IIIe, lands with moderate slope and fast run-off, under severe erosion risk (1.32%); class IIe, productive lands, with small-to-moderate risk of erosion (0.87%); and class IVe, lands strongly limited by risk of erosion (0.50%). Based on the analysis of the current land use, it 89.28% of the area did not show conflict between the land capability and actual land use; 2.24% of the area was used with annual or perennial crops, but in lands with unsuitable for crops; and 8.48% of the area should be converted to forest and, or, environmental protection.
land use; GIS; soil management