Modeling of Soil Loss by Water Erosion and Its Impacts on the Cantareira System, Brazil

The Cantareira System is one of the largest water supply systems in world, supplying about half consumed by 22 million inhabitants Metropolitan Region São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. In this scenario, view climate change, silting a serious environmental threat and major challenge to sustainability reservoirs. Therefore, identifying provenance sediments an essential tool support soil conservation policies, slowing erosion processes mitigating deposition Thus, study aimed model losses—sediment production, System, based on RUSLE model—Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation, GIS—Geographic Information SR—Remote Sensing. work was conducted data obtained from online platforms Brazilian public institutions. results indicate average rate loss 13 Mg ha−1 yr−1, which corresponds annual 3 tons, 22% reaches bodies. also show that: (1) 66 % losses are below tolerance limits, and, 34% region, compromising resources; (2) areas with greatest predominantly located planted forests, agricultural crops non-vegetated areas; (3) sectors high rates require adoption conservationist practices at reducing sediment production thereby increasing improving quality.