Modelo WEPP para estimativa da produção de sedimentos em uma pequena bacia hidrográfica da Amazônia

Abstract

Erosive processes produce several economic and environmental damages. The development of mathematical models has made it possible to quantify these processes, allowing estimating the magnitude of the problem, in order to minimize it. In this sense, this work uses the WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model to simulate the sediment yield in an Amazon small catchment, igarapé da Prata catchment, located in the Municipality of Capitão Poço-PA. The calibrated main parameters of the WEPP model were: initial soil saturation (Si), erosion by runoff (Ki), erosion by channel or groove flow (Kr) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ke). After the calibration, it was verified that most of the sediment yield is in the plans. And as is to be expected, this production is higher in areas with predominance of agriculture and livestock. The results of the estimated sediment yield calculated by the model were compared to the observed data for the year 2012. The model presented a value of 131.99 t / km², close to the observed value, which was 121.64 t / km2. This result leads to the conclusion that the values calculated by the model are consistent with the reality of the sediment yield of the small catchment in question.