Water erosion and sediment transport in Cachoeirinha stream basin, Rio Claro (SP)

The erosive processes are essential elements for understanding the evolution of continental landscape. The action of these processes results in soil degradation and demands the use of all the tools available for this evaluation. In this context this research aimed to evaluate and compare erosion rates and sediment transport of Cachoeirinha stream basin, Rio Claro (SP). This work was done considering the following steps: characterization of the physiographic features of the basin, assessment of water erosion by USLE and quantification of sediment transport by the simplified method of Colby (1957). The results indicated soil loss of 1,40 t.ha-1 .year-1 , with the rate of 0,9 t.ha-1 for the year 2014. Already sediment transport was 0,37 t ha-1 .year-1 for the same year, indicating that about 41% of sediment generated by water erosion effectively leaves the Cachoeirinha stream basin. Thus, the results can contribute to the understanding of hydrosedimentological dynamic in this area and serve as a viable strategy for studies of soil loss and sediment transport, aiming at developing consistent material for future researches about environmental planning and land management. (AU)