ESTIMATION OF RAIN EROSIVITY IN THE CORURIPE RIVER BASIN THROUGH MATHEMATICAL MODELS
Erosivity prediction models;Erosivity indices, rainfall
The potential of rain to cause erosion can be assessed through erosivity indices. Rainfall erosivity, defined as the potential for rain to cause erosion, depending exclusively on the physical characteristics of the rain itself, including intensity, quantity, raindrop diameter, terminal velocity and kinetic energy. The erosivity estimate is obtained using a series of rainfall records of at least 20 years. The pluviographic method is the standard method used in Brazil. But due to the deficiencies of rainfall records, seeking to overcome this deficiency was proposed by Lombardi Neto, a mathematical model, which establishes a relationship between the values of monthly rainfall for an annual period, the result is called rainfall coefficient. The Coruripe River basin extends for more than 140 km, from its source on the edge of the Borborema Plateau, in the municipality of Palmeira dos Índios and flows into the Atlantic Ocean, in the municipality of Coruripe. This route crosses different regions, with many in the pluviometric regimes, which has an influence on the erosivity indices in the territorial cut of the aforementioned basin. Based on this assumption, this work aims to determine the rainfall erosivity indices of the municipalities that are part of the Coruripe River basin - AL, through mathematical models. In this research, pluviometric information from 12 municipalities that are part of the Coruripe River Watershed, in the period studied is between 1913 and 2021, depending on the pluviometric data available for each municipality. To estimate erosivity, the models proposed by Leprun and Lombardi Netto were used; Moldenhauer. The municipality of Quebrangulo presented the highest erosivity indices, according to the models proposed by Leprun and Lombardi Neto; Moldenhauer. The municipality of Craíbas had the lowest erosivity indices by the models studied, perhaps due to the amplitude of the rainfall data. The highest values of monthly average erosivity were verified in the region of Alto Coruripe, region where the east is located, with a very busy relief. The region called middle Coruripe, presented the lowest erosivity and precipitation indexes, this result is conditioned to the values presented by the municipality of Craíbas. The models showed a good correlation in all the municipalities of the river basin of the river Coruripe - AL.