Using the GeoWEPP Model to Predict Water Erosion in Micro-Watersheds in the Brazilian Cerrado

Wellington de Azambuja Magalhães (), Ricardo Santos Silva Amorim, Maria O’Healy Hunter, Edwaldo Dias Bocuti, Luis Augusto Di Loreto Di Raimo, Wininton Mendes da Silva, Aaron Kinyu Hoshide and Daniel Carneiro de Abreu
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Wellington de Azambuja Magalhães: Curso de Doutorado Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Cuiabá 78060-900, MT, Brazil
Ricardo Santos Silva Amorim: Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, DEA/CCA/UFV, Viçosa 36570-000, MG, Brazil
Maria O’Healy Hunter: Curso de Doutorado Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Cuiabá 78060-900, MT, Brazil
Edwaldo Dias Bocuti: Curso de Doutorado Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Cuiabá 78060-900, MT, Brazil
Luis Augusto Di Loreto Di Raimo: Curso de Doutorado Programa de Pós-Graduação em Agricultura Tropical, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, UFMT, Cuiabá 78060-900, MT, Brazil
Wininton Mendes da Silva: Empresa Mato-Grossense de Pesquisa, Assistência e Extensão Rural (EMPAER-MT), Centro Político Administrativo, Cuiabá 78049-903, MT, Brazil
Aaron Kinyu Hoshide: College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Daniel Carneiro de Abreu: AgriSciences, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Caixa Postal 729, Sinop 78550-970, MT, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: The GeoWEPP model has estimated water and soil losses caused by erosion at the watershed level in different parts of the world. However, this model was developed and its parameters have been adjusted for temperate climates, which are different from tropical climates such as those found in Brazil. Our study evaluated the performance of the GeoWEPP model in estimating soil erosion in three micro-watersheds in the Cerrado (i.e., savannah) of southeastern Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Major land uses modeled were soybean and corn cultivation, traditional pasture, and native vegetation. Input parameters for the GeoWEPP model involved climate, soil, land use and management, and topography. GeoWEPP was calibrated with input parameters for soil erodibility specified as interrill and rill soil erosion, soil critical shear stress, and saturated hydraulic conductivity obtained experimentally and estimated by internal routine equations of the GeoWEPP model. Soil losses observed in micro-watersheds with agriculture, pasture, and native vegetation were 0.11, 0.06, and 0.10 metric tons per hectare per year, respectively. GeoWEPP best modeled soil erosion for native vegetation and pasture, while over-estimating that for crops. Surface runoff was best modeled for crops versus native vegetation and pasture. The GeoWEPP model performed better when using soil erodibility input parameters.

Keywords: environmental impact; soil conservation; water erosion prediction; watershed; WEPP parameters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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