Definition of priority areas for soil and water conservation in the Itanguá watershed, Capão Bonito, SP state, Brazil

Abstract

The improper soil use may lead to erosion and silting of watercourses, reducing the quantity and the quality of water in the watershed. The implementation of soil conservation practices and the presence of native vegetation are crucial for soil and water conservation in the basin, since they act by decreasing water runoff and erosion. This study aimed to develop a map of priority areas for soil and water conservation in the Itanguá watershed, Capão Bonito, SP state, based on the characterization of the use and land cover and slope of the basin and, defne areas with a high need to implement conservation practices. For the creation of thematic maps with the information plans of land use, land cover and declivity were combined by the Boolean method on a geographic information system. Afer the analysis, it was found nine different priority classes for the implementation of conservation practices and six priority classes for forest restoration in the permanent preservation area. Areas with a dirt road in a region of higher declivity were identifed as priority areas for conservation, including the permanent preservation area along watercourses in the basin. The study provides the frst assessment of the land use and land cover at the basin level for Capão Bonito National Forest and provides a basis for identifying conservation priorities across the Itanguá basin.