Environmental diagnosis of water source in a Brazilian Cerrado watershed
Fernanda Laurinda Valadares Ferreira
1
*, Francielle de Cássia Coelho Vieira
2
, Izabelle de Paula Sousa
3
, Flávio
Pimenta de
Figueiredo4, Leidivan Almeida Frazão5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2020.20739
Abstract
A lack of planning characterize the most demographic occupation process in Brazil, occurring in a disorderly manner and with
inappropriate occupations, resulting in damage to natural resources. This process is recurrent in the Cerrado Biome, currently the
agricultural frontier of the country. Thus, the objective of this work was to identify anthropic activities and classify the
conservation status in the headsprings (water sources) and surroundings areas of a water- shed inserted in the Cerrado biome,
besides proposing measures to prevent and control the different degradation processes. From February to July 2016, visits
were made to 37 headsprings and their surroundings, located in the watershed of Santa Fé de Minas River. Impacts of
anthropic actions are identified directly or indirectly, classifying the areas according to the state of conservation: preserved,
anthropized and degraded. All visited places presented some type of negative interference from human activities. The most
frequent activities were unpaved roads, monoculture of eucalyptus and cattle farming. According to the classification, only
6% of the areas are on preserved condition, while 70% are anthropized and 24% degraded. The main types of found
degradation were erosions in different sta- ges, compaction and silting. In addition, no conservationist practices are present in
the areas. Therefore, to reduce or prevent future degradation in the watershed, it proposed some mitigating actions, such as the
isolation of headsprings and their surroundings, adaptation of roads and eucalyptus plantation areas, and maintenance of
preservation areas.
Key words:
anthropic activities. degradation conditions. mitigating actions.
Diagnóstico ambiental de nascentes em uma bacia hidrográfica do Cerrado brasileiro
Resumo
O processo de ocupação demográfica no Brasil em sua maioria é caracterizado pela falta de planejamento, ocorren- do de
forma desordenada e com ocupações inadequadas, resultando em danos aos recursos naturais. Este processo é recorrente no
Bioma Cerrado, atualmente a fronteira agrícola do país. Assim, objetivou-se com este trabalho, identificar as atividades
antrópicas e classificar o estado de conservação nas áreas de nascentes e entorno de uma bacia hidrográfica inserida no
bioma Cerrado, e propor medidas para prevenir e controlar os diferentes processos de degradações. No período de fevereiro
a julho de 2016, foram realizadas visitas em 37 nascentes e seus entornos, localizadas na bacia do rio Santa Fé de Minas.
Foram identificados impactos das ações antrópicas de forma direta ou indireta, classificando as áreas de acordo com o estado de
conservação: preservada, antropizada e degradada. Todos os locais visitados possuíam algum tipo de interferência negativa
proveniente de atividades antrópicas. As atividades de maior recorrência foram estradas não pavimentadas, monocultivo de
eucalipto e bovinocultura. De acordo com a
1Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola. Viçosa, MG.Brasil.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3206-8467
2Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias. Montes Claros, MG. Brasil.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3656-1793
3Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola.Viçosa, MG. Brasil.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5176-4612
4Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias.Montes Claros, MG. Brasil.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7147-7821
5Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias. Montes Claros, MG. Brasil.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6848-9007
*Autora para correspondência: fernanda_laurinda@yahoo.com.br
CADERNO DE CIÊNCIAS AGRÁRIAS
Agrarian Sciences Journal
2
Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
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).
Brazilian Forest Code - Law nº 12.651/12 (Brazil, 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).
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).
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).
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).
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 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).
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).
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
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
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Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
a watershed inserted in the Cerrado Biome, and propose
actions to prevent and control the different degradation
processes.
Fé de Minas County, located in the Pirapora micro-region
and
meso-region of Northern Minas Gerais. The water- shed
under study drains an area of approximately 1,470 km²,
which is a sub-watershed of the Paracatu river and, according
to the division of the watershed committees, belongs to the
watershed of São Francisco river (Figure
1), framing the SF7
committee - Paracatu (IGAM, 2006).
Material e methods
The environmental diagnosis was carried out in the
watershed of the Santa Fé de Minas River, in Santa
Figure 1 – Watershed of the Santa Fé de Minas River, Minas Gerais, Brazil
The predominant biome characteristic of the
region under study is the Cerrado. According to IBGE
(2010), the county Santa Fé de Minas has an area equi-
valent to 2,917.45 km², with an altitude of about 500 m, a
population of approximately 4,000 inhabitants, with
agriculture being the main economic activity.
a GPS device (Global Positioning System) (Figure 1). The
identification of the headsprings and the respective
coordinates are shown in Table 1.
In all the visited places (sites), annotations were
made about the conservation current state of the heads-
prings
and their surrounding areas, in addition to photo-
graphic
records for eventual consultations and proof of the anthropic
changes incidence. The headsprings were classified as
proposed by Pinto (2003), and adaptations were made. The
classification took place as follows:
According to the climatic classification of Köppen
(Köppen, 1936), Aw is the predominant climate in the
watershed region, a tropical climate with dry winter, rainy
season in summer, between the months of November and
April, and dry season in winter, from May to October, being
July the driest month.
a) Preserved: headsprings with native vegetation
and
without human intervention evidence;
For collection and analysis of data related to the
headsprings environmental diagnosis, field visits were
carried out between the months of February and July 2016,
which consisted of identifying the impacts that
occurred on
the analyzed area and the actions interaction
that impacted the
place (site) directly and indirectly.
b) Anthropized: native vegetation in the heads-
prings and their surroundings, with anthropic interven- tion;
and
c) Degraded: areas with little or no native ve-
getation, highly compacted soil or with erosion in an
advanced state, and silted watercourses.
During expeditions through the watershed,
evaluations were carried out in 37 headsprings and in their
surroundings, which were georeferenced using
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Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
Table 1 – Identification and location of the visited headsprings (water sources) in the watershed of Santa Fé de Minas river,
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Headspring
Popular Names
Geographic
Coordinates
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
Córrego do Frade
Cabeceira do Areal
Nascente da Lagartixa
Vereda Comprida
Nascente do Buraco
Nascente do Mandu
Nascente do Riachão
Nascente Ponte Pedra
Nascente Riachão das Pedra
Nascente Cabeceira 3 da Extrema
Nascente Bacia do Extrema Vereda
Grande
Cabeceira da Serrinha
Cabeceira da Vereda Grande
Cabeceira de Marotim
Cabeceira da Extrema
Galho da Passagem da Clauzi
Galho da Serrinha
Nascente do Córrego das Lages
Nascente das Águas Vertentes Lavado
Nascente da Fuga
Vereda Brejo do Arroz
Nascente do Cedro
Nascente do Caju
Nascente 1 da Vereda do Inferno
Nascente 1 do Lavado
Nascente 2 da vereda do inferno
Nascente 2 do Lavado
Nascente 3 do Lavado
Nascente 4 do Lavado
Nascente Cabeceira do São Gregório
Nascente Meio do Lavado
Nascente Principal do Lavado
Nascente Vereda do Inferno
Nascente do Lavado Nascente
Brejo vereda
Nascente do Mucambo
S 16°50’15,5”
S 16°48’56,8”
S 16°4’32,7”
S 16°50’12,1”
S 16°47’29,2”
S 16°47’44”
S 16°50’17,2”
S 16°49’43,2”
S 16°49’59,6”
S 16°51’21,1”
S 16°51’7,1”
S 16°49’46,7”
S 16°52’36,3”
S 16°50’39,5”
S 16°52’54,1”
S 16°53’1,8”
S 16°53’39,3”
S 16°51’51,8”
S 16° 42’ 50,7”
S 16° 42’ 50,7”
S 16° 42’ 51,2”
S 16° 43’ 32,3”
S 16° 42’ 27,7”
S 16° 43’ 32,3”
S 16° 41’ 3,8”
S 16° 40’ 28,0”
S 16° 41’ 35,2”
S 16° 40’ 16,7”
S 16° 40’ 48,1”
S 16° 40’ 54,4”
S 16° 40’ 54,4”
S 16° 40’ 13,4”
S 16° 40’ 11,6”
S 16° 41’ 15,1”
S 16° 40’ 54,8”
S 16° 39’ 42,7”
S 16° 39’ 33,4”
W 45° 34’31,1”
W 45°35’38,1”
W 45°37’37,7”
W 45°43’5,9”
W 45°35’41,5”
W 45°37’54,9”
W 45°40’41,7”
W 45°38’54,2”
W 45°35’54,2”
W 45°44’30,9”
W 45°44’38,9”
W 45°45’19,8”
W 45°44’28,1”
W 45°45’52,7”
W 45°43’33,3”
W 45°43’20”
W 45°43’5,8”
W 45°44’36,8”
W 45° 35’ 3,4’’
W 45° 35’ 3,4’’
W 45° 35’ 26,2’’
W 45° 36’ 53,2’’
W 45° 36’ 6,6’’
W 45° 36’ 53,2’’
W 45° 44’ 7,2’’
W 45° 41’ 38,2’’
W 45° 43’ 8’’
W 45° 41’ 45,9’’
W 45° 42’ 29,4’’
W 45° 42’ 34,7’’
W 45° 41’ 33,2’’
W 45° 42’ 34,7’
W 45° 43’ 50,4’’
W 45° 45’ 1,7’’
W 45° 43’ 42,6’’
W 45° 22’ 35,3’’
W 45° 22’ 41,3’’
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Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
The places classified as anthropized were dis-
tributed in groups defined by the authors, according to the
scenarios observed in the on-site visit, indicating the
anthropization degree, which varies according to the
activities carried out in the surrounding areas (Table 2).
Table 2 – Anthropization degree according to anthropic activity existing in the headsprings (water sources) areas and their
surroundings, visited in the watershed of the Santa Fé de Minas River, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Anthropization degree
Anthropization Activity
Road with vegetation around
Eucalyptus planted within APP’s
Road without vegetation and/or inserted in the APP’s
Eucalyptus planted within the headspring areas Laminar
erosion
Presence of cattle
Road without vegetation and with erosion beginning Eucalyptus
planted towards the slope of the land (downhill) Groove erosion
Low
Medium
High
The classification of the water erosion types
incident in the areas was carried out, being classified as
laminar erosion, where a thin layer is removed from the soil
top; or linear erosion, characterized by incisions in the soil,
ranging from small grooves (furrow erosion) to the shape of
gullies (Morais and Sales, 2017).
Basin on the field visiting and the conservation
status diagnosis of the 37 headsprings and surrounding
areas,
all the evaluated sites have some kind of anthropic
interference with negative impacts on the local ecosys- tem,
especially water resources. Figure 2 shows some of the
scenarios found in the headsprings and surrounding areas.
Results and discussion
Figure 2 – Some of the scenarios observed in the headsprings (water sources) areas and their surroundings in the watershed
of the Santa Fé de Minas River, Minas Gerais, Brazil
The anthropic intervention observed in all visits
was
the presence of unpaved and unplanned roads, which
were used
to move around the properties or access the eucalyptus
monoculture plots. In all the places visited,
roads are in or
near the APP’s, some of which pass within
the headsprings
themselves. In 57% of the total sites (21 headspring areas),
the roads have deforested margins, and 17 of these have
some degree of erosion.
According to Enriquez et al. (2015), the use of
unpaved roads promotes soil waterproofing, resulting in
reduction of water infiltration rate, and in contrast, favors
the increase of surface runoff volume, which are
contributing
factors for erosion occurrence and sediment
production.
Another recurring activity in this region is the
eucalyptus monoculture. Thirteen of the observed sites
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Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
(35%) had planting in APP’s, one of which was planted
within the headspring area, and in four of these sites, the
planting operation was carried out downhill. Those
areas
where the intervention occurred more significantly,
the
degradation state and silting condition is more pro- nounced.
According to Cota and Amaral (2018), the cons-
truction of dams affects fauna and flora, since there is
vegetation suppression and the physical environment
changes. Its construction and operation generate these
impacts. Erosion occurs due to plant layer deforestation and
the soil is exposed to the weather, with the conse- quence of
particles carrying.
According to Silva et al. (2008), the practice of
planting downhill is usually used to facilitate the explo-
ration and removal of wood. However, a study found that
one
of the areas with the greatest loss of soil per hectare was
eucalyptus cultivation planted downhill (Ayer et al., 2015).
The most noticeable degradations found during the
visits were erosion, compaction and silting. Erosive
processes were the most recurrent, with 23 of the visited sites
(62%) showing some erosion degree. In 11 of the- se sites
(30%), there was laminar erosion, which were identified by
the presence of roots in the soil; seven sites (19%) with
erosion in gullet; and five of them (13%) with groove
erosion.
In the other 24 evaluated sites (65%), it verify the
presence of the eucalyptus monoculture, however
respecting the limits of APP’s. Commercial eucalyptus
forest planting can provide greater surface runoff and soil
erosion when compared to the natural ecosystem. However,
as most of these plantations are established in areas that do
not have natural vegetation cover, in this context, it starts to
promote less surface runoff and,
consequently, decreasing the
occurrence of water erosion
(Maeda and Medrado, 2017).
Groove erosions were more frequent on the roads
margins, part of them caused by channels builted to remove
the surface runoff and carry rainwater to lower slopes and
without vegetation cover. However, as no
type of barrier was
built to contain water in these places,
there was an increase in
the soil particles carrying to the nearby watercourses, causing
their silting.
It was also noted the presence of animals (cattle) in
inappropriate places. However, this activity was of low
incidence, identifying seven sites (19%) being used for
pasture or as natural drinking fountains, in advanced
degradation stage. The headsprings that had intensive
trampling were compacted and with little or no water
outcrop, in addition some of them presented silting.
The erosion process causes problems to the water
quality and availability, because of pollution and silting of
water bodies, which favors floods occurrence in rainy pe- riods
and increased water scarcity in dry periods (Pruski,
2009). In
addition, it reduces land productive capacity, which may
reduce agricultural exploitation area, and interfere with
displacement routes.
The presence of cattle in APP’s has a direct conse-
quence in the biodiversity loss, since the animals in these
places compact the soil, creating a certain difficulty in
the
water infiltration, which promotes increase in surface runoff, in
addition to being a barrier to seed germination
(Silva et al.,
2018).
The high number of areas with erosive proces- ses
caused incidence of watercourses silting. The excess of
materials deposited in the water sources and in the
gutters of
streams/rivers affected 16 of the visited places
(43%),
hindering the outcrop of water and its natural course. In
addition, six of these places were compacted by the intense
cattle traffic.
According to Capoane and Santos (2013), the
trampling of animals destabilizes the margins of streams and
dams, causes silting (silting up) and contamination of them,
hindering natural regeneration and soil com-
paction. It not
only compromises the riparian ecosystem,
but also the aquatic
ecosystem biodiversity.
Silting is a problem, as it alters the normal con-
ditions of the environment, causing its watercourse imba-
lances and hydrodynamic aspects changes that, over time,
facilitate the appearance of sandbanks in the riverbed
(Nunes et al., 2014).
During the visit, the field team found the cons-
truction of a cistern inside the headspring area, from
where
the water removed was used for animals watering.
Its
construction was carried out after the suppression of the
water outcrops, since the cattle moved freely within the areas
of headspring and surroundings. Another im- proper
construction in the footpath area was the water damming in
this place, which negatively affected the vegetation, due to
the roots drowning, and the water scarcity downstream of
the watercourse. In addition to this interference,
surroundings areas presented the cul- tivation of eucalyptus
downhill, favoring surface runoff and consequently
promoting silting.
According to the conservation status classification
of
the 37 visited places, only two (6%) were classified as
preserved, 26 (70%) were anthropized and 9 (24%)
degraded. Of the 26 points classified as anthropized, 6
were
classified as low, 15 as medium and five with a high
degree of
anthropization.
By the criteria adopted in the present study, the
places classified as preserved present dense native
vegetation, in which it extends beyond the APP, showing no
signs of anthropic activity in the headsprings and
surroundings areas, showing itself as a balanced and refuge
local ecosystem for fauna. Anthropic activities
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Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
near these sites are roads built without conservation actions,
however, because they are outside the APP and in flat and
vegetated areas, the risk of erosion caused by surface runoff
is low. However, this does not exclude the need to adapt
these roads to avoid future damage.
The anthropized places were subclassified ac-
cording to anthropic activity and existing degradations.
Figure 3 shows the existing activities at the sites and the
degradation causes.
Figure 3 – Anthropic activities incidence and degradation factors of headsprings (water sources) classified as anthro- pized in
the watershed of the Santa Fé de Minas River, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Eucalyptus monoculture was in nine locations, six
of which were within the APP. In one of the areas, the planting
was carried out at the water outcrop points; in two other
places, the eucalyptus was planted downhill, being classified
as having a high anthropization degree.
access to APP’s, for watering or to consume native grass,
typical of footpath areas.
According to Almeida Filho (2015), impacts on
water resources, such as compaction and silting, reduce
water
quality, decreasing water storage and release capa-
city,
resulting in increased water scarcity and ecosystem changes.
The roads were unpaved in the 26 anthropized
places and, in 12 of these places, the roads were more
aggravated due to the deforestation of their margins, and
with presence of erosion, which were classified as median
anthropization degree.
Figure 4 shows the degraded places, indicating the
erosion incidence, silting, compaction and the anthropic
activities that cause these degradations.
In cattle breeding areas, classified as having an
average anthropization degree, the animals had free
Figure 4 – Degradation incidence and causative agents of degraded headsprings (water sources) in the watershed of the Santa Fé
de Minas River, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
The most serious situation in areas classified as
degraded was the existence of gullies, the most advanced stage
of erosion. In some cases, they had large extensions and were
dividing the area into two or more parts, making it difficult to
access the sites. According to Dotterweich et al. (2012), human
activities strongly influence the gullies, which are aggravated
due to inadequate soil management
practices. This erosion
type can cause silting of water bodies and dams, floods,
mortality of fauna and flora species, and others (Vieira and
Verdum, 2015).
the presence of cattle and structures built in inappropriate
locations.
The soil presented high compaction in places of
livestock practices. One of the headsprings was totally
transformed into a water reservoir with function of herd
watering. These area changes and its surroundings ac-
celerated the degradation process, getting an advanced
stage.
The unpaved roads near the sites showed to be in a poor
conservation state and with advanced degradations,
since all of
them showed some erosive process and were directly
affecting the local system balance.
Silting visibly influenced the watercourses loca- ted
close to or downstream of the areas affected by the erosion
processes, and a probable consequence is the total
devastation of these places over time.
Figure 5 shows the land use and coverage on the
watershed of Santa Fé de Minas River and the classified
headsprings. It appears there was an evolution of the
agriculture and planted forests areas over the native
vegetation areas. The most affected places, degraded and
anthropized, are mostly found in the advanced an-
thropizing areas.
Four of the degraded places presented the culti-
vation of eucalyptus in APP’s, since, the lack of manage-
ment is the main reason for degradation. Other anthropic
activities that significantly influenced the ecosystem were
Figure 5 –
Land use and coverage and classified headsprings (water sources) in the watershed of Santa Fé de Minas River,
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Verifying the current conservation status of the
headsprings and surroundings areas, and the identifica- tion
of the main causative agents, the evaluated areas do not
present conservationist practice. It is necessary to
implement mitigating acions in these areas to reduce or
prevent the degradation progress, since the soil use and
water conservation practices provide a balanced ecosystem
(Carvalho et al., 2012).
The roads have social and economic importance for
the region. Therefore, it proposed that all roads go through
an adaptation process. According to Cunha et al. (2013), the
containment boxes implantation preser- ves and control
surface runoff and roads sedimentation. These boxes ensure
the stabilization of processes arising from the sediments
production, with the main objective of rainwater storage,
removing water from the roadbed,
Cad. Ciênc. Agrá., v. 12, p. 01–11, https://doi.org/10.35699/2447-6218.2020.20739
9
Ferreira, F. L. V. et al.
dissipating energy and facilitating the soil water infiltra- tion.
These actions of rural roads adequacy must be part
of the
municipal organs planning, through conservationist
actions that
adapt the rainwater use and the erosion control (Taveira and
Diniz Jr., 2012).
Conclusion
The headsprings and surrounding areas on the
watershed of the Santa Fé de Minas River are degraded
(24%) or in degradation process (70%).
In relation to pasture areas, it is necessary to build
a
physical barrier to avoid the cattle trampling in APP’s,
aiming to control the main agent that causes impacts in
the
area (Mota et al., 2016). According to Pruski (2009), it
recommend periodic reseeding of pasture areas so that
it
remains with a covering density capable of supporting
livestock and guaranteeing good soil protection against
erosion.
The anthropic activities that directly or indirectly
affect the evaluated areas are unpaved roads, eucalyptus
planting and cattle raising, which have been carried out
without any type of planning or management strategy.
These scenarios generated different types of degradation, such
as compaction, different levels of erosion and silting
headsprings.
Consevaconist actions such as isolation of heads-
prings and their surroundings, adequacy of roads and
eucalyptus planting areas and maintenance of preserva- tion
areas can prevent and control future degradation in the
evaluated watershed.
In monoculture eucalyptus sites, it is advisable to
harvest in the appropriate period in order to avoid economic
losses. To minimize environmental impacts, it is essential to
keep plant remains on the ground during harvest,
maintaining the cover and partially replacing lost nutrients
(Vital, 2007).
The preservation of the headsprings favors the soil
water infiltration, in order to supply the water table,
which is
extremely important for the Cerrado Biome, since
this biome
contributes to the hydrological maintenance of different
watersheds in the country.
The planting of eucalyptus in areas with grou-
ndwater closer to the surface and low rainfall index ge-
nerates negative impacts on water bodies (Vital, 2007).
Thus, planting in these areas should be done in contour
lines
and with minimal soil preparation in order to reduce
environmental changes (Araújo et al., 2009).
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Institute of Agricultural
Sciences (ICA / UFMG), the Santa Fé de Minas City Hall
and
the Public Ministry of Minas Gerais (MPMG) for their
support.
According to Silva et al. (2015b), soil loss mo-
nitoring due to water erosion must to occur in the forest
plantations areas, taking into account the soil loss limits,
since
it is essential for the adequate and sustainable management
of forest plantations.
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