The objective of this work was to determine the rainfall erosivity and some characteristics of erosive rainfalls of Encruzilhada do Sul (RS, Brazil), based on the period of 1958 to 1988. For each erosive rainfall, based on daily rainfall charts, the hour and amounts were digited, and processed by the software Chuveros, which calculates the EI30 index, the monthly and annual totals, besides to determine the hydrological pattern of each rainfall. The rainfall coefficient, the return period and its occurrence probability were also calculated. The January to March period concentrates 38% of annual erosivity, with highest peak in February (808.5 MJ mm ha-1 h-1), while July to September concentrates the smallest erosive potential (14%). In the average, the advanced, intermediary and delayed patterns present 48, 26 and 26% of the number of erosive rainfalls per year, respectively, correponding to 51, 27 and 22%, respectively, of the annual volume of erosive rainfalls and 55, 27 and 18% of the average annual erosivity. For Encruzilhada do Sul, the mean annual rainfall erosivity index is 5534.3 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 ("R" Factor of USLE), with a return period of 2.3 years, and occurrence probability of 40.6%. It has been verified that the rainfall erosive potential (EI30) does not present significant correlation to the rainfall coefficient.
rainfall erosive potential; EI30 index; kinetic energy; R factor
