Resumo

SEVILLA L, Víctor A; COMERMA G, Juan A  e  SILVA, Oscar. Characterization of the river basin canoabo in the Carabobo state, Venezuela. III: The erosion of grounds. Agronomía Trop. [online]. 2009, vol.59, n.3, pp.249-264. ISSN 0002-192X.

The Canoabo watershed produces water for a reservoir as well as agricultural products for its population. Due to deforestation and no conservationist land uses, erosion is affecting its sustainability. The study of the present erosion included a field evaluation of 50 sites which were extrapolated using a vegetation index. To establish the present and potential risks of erosion including ( delta), the USLE equation was used, including local and national adaptations. Results of the area studied showed that present erosion is 74% light, 13% moderate and 11% severe. Degradation is mostly due to inappropriate grazing in side slopes, while areas covered by forest are the less affected. Areas with high present risks of erosion coincide with field erosion, but not in areas with low risks, as the apparent dense cover by ferns seen in the satellite image mask the reality. By eliminating the vegetation the potential risk increases erosion everywhere, then slopes become the controlling factor. The delta, an indicator of impact, shows that the areas under forest suffer the most, indicating its high fragility

Palavras-chave : Land degradation; Risks of erosion; Watersheds.