Planning soil use in watersheds should be supported by the identification of agricultural areas susceptible to erosion. The evaluation of integrated systems of soil and crop management is a proper subject for this investigation since the final water quality of rivers is a reflection of the activities developed in the micro-basin. The objective of this study was to determine potential sources of nonpoint pollution and to evaluate soil conservation practices through the AGNPS model associated with GIS techniques. The study location was the Água Grande and Pensamento micro-basin in Mamborê, Paraná State, under real agricultural production. The sediment production estimation was accomplished through simulations for different scenarios of soil use and different precipitation events in a sequence of four agricultural years. The results showed the potential areas of nonpoint source pollution and its causes as well as the reduction of sediment production due to the change in agricultural practices.
water erosion; micro-basin; AGNPS model
