The knowledge of rainfall erosivity is fundamental for actions of erosion control in each region, due to its high variability in time and space. The objective of this study was to determine the rainfall erosivity, the hydrological patterns, the rainfall coefficient and the return period of erosive rainfalls of São Gabriel (RS, Brazil), based on the period of 1963 to 1993. For each erosive rainfall, the hour and the height of each rainfall with the same intensity were digitalized, and the EI30 index, the monthly and annual totals, the hydrological pattern, the rainfall coefficient, the return period and its probability occurrence were calculated. The period of October to May concentrates 75% of the annual erosivity, with larger peak in February (712 MJ mm ha-1 h-1). The advanced, intermediary and delayed patterns have 52, 21, and 27% of the number of erosive rainfalls, corresponding to 55, 21 and 24% of the annual volume of erosive rainfalls and 58, 21 and 21% of the mean annual erosivity, respectively. For São Gabriel, the mean annual rainfall erosivity index is 6432.4 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 (Fator "R" of USLE), with a return period of 2.7 years and probability occurrence of 37.5%.
hydrological rainfall patterns; EI30 index; erosivity; R factor
