Identification of environmentally sensitive areas and allowances for a management plan for the basin Ribeirão Pinhal, SP, through modeling techniques and geoprocessing

Abstract

The indiscriminate disposal of original vegetation, mainly for agricultural and livestock occupations, has generated serious problems of environmental degradation. How serious consequences can cite the siltation of rivers and deteriorating springs, whose waters feed the cities and rural areas and lend themselves to various purposes and projects. The creek do Pinhal - Jaguari River tributary and source of supply Limeira is within the context outlined above, the shares suffering the degradation observed in the region as a whole. Thus, this study is the first to identify the "Environmentally Sensitive Areas" (ASA's) that have suffered degradation process in the catchment area of the Pine creek through GIS techniques. Later, using the model Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), which simulates runoff, sediment production and transport of nutrients and pesticides in river basins, will be made simulations with the scenario of current land use and land use scenarios alternative considering the ASA's identified in the study watershed protected by forest cover. The simulation results are then analyzed comparatively in terms of sediment yield, yielding a measure of effectiveness of protective actions of AAS's and thereby grants a management plan for land use for the basin. (AU)