As quedas d’água enquanto geopatrimônio dos municípios de Pelotas e Arroio do Padre: contribuições ao geoturismo na Costa Doce do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

The waterfalls are features derived from the association of abiotic elements, especially water, rocks and relief. Cascades, waterfalls, rapids and jumps are understood as features that combine the systemic relationship between the components of geodiversity on the scale of geotopes, or more comprehensively on the scope of geofacies. In this context, there is a need to identify places where waterfalls occur, as well as define strategies for valuing and conserving this geoheritage that has value for its simple existence (BENTO; RODRIGUES, 2011; CLAUDINO-SALES, 2018). Therefore, the present research has as main objective to identify and analyze the waterfalls in the municipalities of Pelotas and Arroio do Padre (RS), from the identification of potential areas for the occurrence of these geodiversity elements and their articulation with the knowledge of the local population, through collaborative cartography, in order to subsidize the elaboration of geotourism itineraries. For the development of the research, the following methodological procedures were proposed: a) elaboration of the slope map; b) elaboration of the lineament concentration map; c) obtaining the local roughness concentration index; d) obtaining the relief form diversity index; e) map algebra to identify areas with potential occurrence of waterfalls; f) obtaining information about the waterfalls through collaborative cartography; g) inventory of verified waterfalls and; h) proposal of itineraries, considering the inventoried waterfalls. Subsequently, 17 waterfalls were evaluated and are part of the evaluation of a proposal for geotourism itineraries, which took into account elements of the chart sheet, summaries of the waterfalls and three pieces of information: the distance between properties and information; the presence of side roads. See - through collaborative cartography and map algebra, that the study presents a potential for the occurrence of waterfalls, which requires not only inventory, the conscious management of landowners and the application of geoheritage conservation actions by the public agencies, in addition to raising awareness among geotourists.