The cbjectíve of this work is to compare the advantages and disadvantages of two methods for morphodynamic analysis. To make this comparison the Ribeirão Canas basin was selected as a test síte , because the availability of fluviometric data from 1956 to 1981 and remote sensing data from 1957 to 1981. The methods whích were compared are: a) the temporal analysis of the relation ship between water discharge and water height at any river sectíon; b) multitemporal remote sensing analysis based on the assumptíon that shape changes are indicators of fluvial processes changes. The results showed that multitemporaí remote sensing analysis has the following advantages as compared to Gilbert's method : a) it permits the diagnosis of the variations along the channel; b) it permits to raise hypotheses about variability factors.The cbjectíve of this work is to compare the advantages and disadvantages of two methods for morphodynamic analysis. To make this comparison the Ribeirão Canas basin was selected as a test síte , because the availability of fluviometric data from 1956 to 1981 and remote sensing data from 1957 to 1981. The methods whích were compared are: a) the temporal analysis of the relation ship between water discharge and water height at any river sectíon; b) multitemporal remote sensing analysis based on the assumptíon that shape changes are indicators of fluvial processes changes. The results showed that multitemporaí remote sensing analysis has the following advantages as compared to Gilbert's method : a) it permits the diagnosis of the variations along the channel; b) it permits to raise hypotheses about variability factors.