Location and Characteristics of the Study Area
The Municipal of Machadinho d'Oeste lies between the Municipals of Ariquemes and Jaru, approximately 400 km from Porto Velho, the state capital of Rondônia, between the geographical coordinates 61o47' and 63o00' longitude WGr and 9o19' and 10o00' latitude S.
According to Köppen's classification system, the region's climatic type is Am with monsoon rains. It is characterized by two seasons: a rainy season which lasts from Dezember to March with an annual precipitation of 2,000 mm, and a dry season well defined by the months of June, July, and August. The average annual temperature remains around 24oC with relative humidity between 80 and 85%.
The following soils were identified and mapped for the municipal area: Latossolo Vermelho-Escuro distrófico, Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo álico, Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo álico podzólico, Terra Roxa Estruturada distrófica, Podzólico Vermelho-Escuro distrófico, Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo álico, Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo álico endoconcrecionário plíntico, Cambissolo álico, Glei Pouco Húmico álico e distrófico, Solos Aluviais álicos e Solos Litólicos distróficos, além de áreas onde ocorrem significativamente afloramentos rochosos.
The Municipal of Machadinho d'Oeste was formed during the Machadinho Settlement project begun in 1982 by INCRA, as part of the POLONOROESTE Program. The area for the first phase of the Machadinho's Project was 2,090km2, with 2.934 rural lots appointed to the landles immigrants, divided into 4 sections distributed as follows: section 01 with 48,000 ha and 602 lots; section 02 with 71,000 ha and 1,140 lots; section 03 with 49,000 ha and 622 lots; and section 06 with 40,000 ha and 570 lots. Also existing within the project area was the principal urban center (2,000 ha), an airport (59 ha), 10 secondary urban centers (953 ha) and 17 forest reserves (68,000 ha).
After becoming a municipal in 1988, the boundaries of Machadinho d'Oeste were expanded to incorporate new areas (4 other colonization projects and 8 urban centers), resulting in a total area of 11,800 km2.
In 1989, there were approximately 30,000 persons (8,000 urban and 22,000 rural) residing within the municipality. Only the principal urban center, with 2,000 inhabitants, contained basic infrastructure, with a primary grade school, a hospital, a banking agency, a SUCAM station, a section of INCRA and a Technical Center where the general project administration took place (EMATER-RO, SEAGRI, SETRAPS, SEPLAN etc.). Local businesses included supermarkets, pharmacies, sawmills, gas stations, restaurants, hotels, a fish market supplied by the Machadinho River, a tributary of the Rio Ji-Paraná, as well as a diversified market of agricultural equipment and products.
In 1991, the population had risen to 44,000 inhabitants, with 25% in urban areas and 75% living in rural areas.
