
Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
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Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 12, p. 01–11, https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2020.20739
classificação, apenas 6% das áreas foram classificadas como preservadas, enquanto 70% estavam antropizadas e 24%
degradadas. Os principais tipos de degradações encontrados foram erosões em diferentes estágios, compactação e
assoreamento. Além disso, foi constatado que nenhuma prática conservacionista é adotada nas áreas. Portanto, para
reduzir ou evitar futuras degradações na bacia foram propostas medidas mitigadoras, como o isolamento das nas-
centes e seu entorno, adequação de estradas e áreas de plantio de eucalipto, e manutenção das áreas de preservação.
Palavras-chave: Atividades antrópicas. Condições de degradação. Ações mitigadoras.
Introduction
In the last decades, the demand for natural re-
sources has been increasing in a worrying way, due to the
demand being greater than the capacity to replace the
resources. Population growth, coupled with the growth of
industries and agriculture, provides socio-environmental
damage, when they occur without planning (Ferreira et
al., 2015; Mota et al., 2016; Silva et al., 2016).
Environmental or urban population growth
generally occurs in a disorderly manner and without
planning, reflecting in occupations of inadequate areas
(Ferreira et al., 2015). In the Brazilian territory, this
occupation process occurs sharply, associated with the
lack of management, destruction of riparian forests and
areas of permanent preservation (APP’s), resulting in the
deterioration of natural resources (Garcia et al., 2015;
Mendes et al., 2016).
According to Garcia et al. (2015), for the study of
watersheds, it is necessary to analyze APP’s. The natural
characteristics of Brazilian watersheds change due to
anthropic activities, especially in micro-watersheds (small
watershed), where streams show signs of deterioration
(Ferreira et al., 2015). Inappropriate use and occupation
of the areas on hillsides and river margins generally cause
environmental impacts of high magnitude in watersheds,
causing socio-environmental problems (Albuquerque et
al., 2017).
The knowledge linked to the preservation of
headsprings (water sources) in the watershed, is extre-
mely important for the maintenance of watercourses. The
headsprings concentrate on slopes, in the depressions of
land, or at the base level of the local watercourse (Ga-
latto et al., 2011). They are classified according to their
flow as perennial (they manifest throughout the year,
but with flow variations), temporary (manifest during
the rainy season, and disappear in the dry season) and
ephemeral (temporary, only when rain occurs) (Palivoda
and Povaluk, 2015).
According to CONAMA Resolution nº 303/2002,
the headsprings are natural water outcrops of groun-
dwater, which are preservation areas. The vegetation
protection in headsprings is extremely important, due
to their performance, as an obstacle for surface runoff,
favoring the infiltration of water in the soil profile and
reducing the risks of erosion (Silva et al., 2018). The
Brazilian Forest Code - Law nº 12.651/12 (Brasil, 2012)
considers APP’s as “the areas around the headsprings
and perennial water eyes, whatever their topographic
situation, within a minimum radius of 50 (fifty) meters”.
Thus, the headsprings and their surrounding vegetation
are protected due to their fragility and usefulness (Silva
Junior et al., 2015).
Occupation that occurs in a disorderly manner
and in areas of environmental protection such as the top
of hills, slopes and margins of water courses has beco-
me a problem, as it can cause the destruction of legal
reserve areas, APP’s, among others (Mota et al., 2016).
The disobedience of the legislation in the areas of APP’s
together with inadequate land use and coverage, poses
risks to the quality and quantity of water resources, since
it alters the river dynamics and the runoff (Garcia et al.,
2015; Moura et al., 2017).
For recovery and preservation of these places,
it is necessary to carry out an environmental diagnosis
(Mota et al., 2016), which consists of interpreting the
current situation in which the environment of a given
area is found, thus seeking to know its components (Sil-
va et al., 2018). According to Garcia et al. (2015), the
environmental diagnosis of land use and coverage with
the use of geotechnologies allows an integrated analysis
of the environment based on the obtained information.
The Cerrado biome is the second largest in Bra-
zil, occupying an area of approximately 24%, and it is
considered the richest savanna in the world (Aguiar et
al., 2016), with a high endemism index (Calaça et al.,
2018). Due to its extension, the Cerrado presents transi-
tion zones with almost all other national biomes, being
responsible for the formation of the main Brazilian rivers
(Aguiar et al., 2016). This biome has been considered,
since the 1970s, the main agricultural frontier area in
the country, being responsible for about 70% of national
food production (Silva et al., 2015a).
Changes in land use and coverage from the ad-
vancement of anthropic actions, with the suppression of
native vegetation areas, can cause changes in hydrological
regimes in river watersheds (Ferreira et al., 2020). The-
refore, the objective of this work was to identify anthro-
pic activities and classify the conservation status in the
areas of headsprings and their surroundings, located at