Abstract

Soil erosion is one of the main forms of land degradation. Erosion contributes to loss of agricultural land productivity and ecological and esthetic values of natural environment, and it impairs the production of safe drinking water and hydroenergy production. Thus, assessment of soil erosion and identifying the lands more prone to erosion are vital for erosion management process. Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Rusle) model supported by a GIS system was used to assess the spatial variability of erosion occurring atKalu Gangariver basin in Sri Lanka. Digital Elevation Model (30 × 30 m), twenty years’ rainfall data measured at 11 rain gauge stations across the basin, land use and soil maps, and published literature were used as inputs to the model. The average annual soil loss inKalu Gangariver basin varied from 0 to 134 t ha−1year−1and mean annual soil loss was estimated at 0.63 t ha−1year−1. Based on erosion estimates, the basin landscape was divided into four different erosion severity classes: very low, low, moderate, and high. About 1.68% of the areas (4714 ha) in the river basin were identified with moderate to high erosion severity (>5 t ha−1year−1) class which urgently need measures to control soil erosion. Lands with moderate to high soil erosion classes were mostly found inBulathsinghala,Kuruwita, andRathnapuradivisional secretarial divisions. Use of the erosion severity information coupled with basin wide individual RUSLE parameters can help to design the appropriate land use management practices and improved management based on the observations to minimize soil erosion in the basin.

Highlights

  • Research ArticleApplication of Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Rusle) Model to Assess Soil Erosion in “Kalu Ganga” River Basin in Sri Lanka

  • Soil erosion is a natural process of removal of soil material and transportation through the action of erosive agents such as water, wind, gravity, and human disturbance [1], and it has been accelerated by human activities such as intensive agriculture, improper land management, deforestation, and cultivation on steep slopes [2]

  • Kalu Ganga basin is in the area where the climate-induced rainfall expected to increase with an elevated potential for oods and landslides [30]. us, it is worth analyzing the spatial variation of soil loss in the basin so that planner can take precautions to minimize soil erosion. e present study estimates the average annual soil loss in the Kalu Ganga river basin using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in combination with an ArcGIS interface to develop the soil erosion hazard map of the Kalu Ganga river basin

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Summary

Research Article

Application of Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Rusle) Model to Assess Soil Erosion in “Kalu Ganga” River Basin in Sri Lanka. Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (Rusle) model supported by a GIS system was used to assess the spatial variability of erosion occurring at Kalu Ganga river basin in Sri Lanka. The basin landscape was divided into four different erosion severity classes: very low, low, moderate, and high. About 1.68% of the areas (4714 ha) in the river basin were identified with moderate to high erosion severity (>5 t ha− 1 year− 1) class which urgently need measures to control soil erosion. Lands with moderate to high soil erosion classes were mostly found in Bulathsinghala, Kuruwita, and Rathnapura divisional secretarial divisions. Use of the erosion severity information coupled with basin wide individual RUSLE parameters can help to design the appropriate land use management practices and improved management based on the observations to minimize soil erosion in the basin

Introduction
Kalutara Ratnapura
Halwatura Kalutara Kudawa Pussella Ratnapura Wellandura estate
Materials and Methods
Water supply scheme
Tea Home garden
Soil type
Main land use types
Moderate High

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