Erosive rainfall in Rio do Peixe Valley in Santa Catarina, Brazil: Part I - Determination of the erosivity index

Chuvas erosivas do Vale do Rio do Peixe: Parte I - Determinação do índice de erosividade

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine the rainfall erosivity index in the Valley of Rio do Peixe, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The data series of three rain gauge stations in the cities of Campos Novos, Videira, and Caçador were used to determine the rainfall erosivity based on the EI30 index and to adjust the equations in order to estimate the EI30 value from the rainfall coefficient. On average, it was observed that erosive rains represents 81.4-88.5% of the annual precipitation. The adjusted equations can be used to estimate rainfall erosivity in locations with only rainfall data. The regional equation specified for the erosivity estimation is EI30 = 74.23 Rc^0.8087. The R factor is 8,704.8; 7,340.8; and 6,387.1 MJ mm ha^-1 h^-1 year^-1 for Campos Novos, Videira, and Caçador, respectively. In Campos Novos and Videira, the erosivity was classified as high, while in Caçador, it was classified as average.

Key words:
soil loss; soil conservation; water erosion; precipitation