Geospatial Assessment of Soil Erosion Intensity and Sediment Yield Using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) Model

Ahsen Maqsoom,Usman Hassan,Rana Faisal Tufail,Zaheer Abbas Kazmi,Danish Farooq,Mahmoud Sodangi,Bilal Aslam

doi:10.3390/ijgi9060356

Abstract

Land degradation caused by soil erosion is considered among the most severe problems of the 21stcentury. It poses serious threats to soil fertility, food availability, human health, and the world ecosystem. The purpose of the study is to make a quantitative mapping of soil loss in the Chitral district, Pakistan. For the estimation of soil loss in the study area, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was used in combination with Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS). Topographical features of the study area show that the area is more vulnerable to soil loss, having the highest average annual soil loss of 78 ton/ha/year. Maps generated in the study show that the area has the highest sediment yield of 258 tons/ha/year and higher average annual soil loss of 450 tons/ha/year. The very high severity class represents 8%, 16% under high, 21% under moderate, 12% under low, and 13% under very low soil loss in the Chitral district. The above study is helpful to researchers and planners for better planning to control the loss of soil in the high severity zones. Plantation of trees and structures should be built like check dams, which effectively control the soil erosion process.

Highlights

Soil erosion is considered among the major global problems of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries [1]; it directly affects the food, health of human beings, and the world’s ecosystem
As the KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) government focuses on planting trees and strip cropping as conservation practices, these practices most likely prevent soil loss in this region. The results of this investigation indicate that the Chitral district is highly prone and severely affected by soil erosion, especially the southwestern part of this district, including the areas of Asfik, Ispheru Arkari, Shoghar, Harchin, and Kalash
If rates of soil erosion continue at the same rate, it will probably cause severe land degradation

Summary

Introduction

Soil erosion is considered among the major global problems of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries [1]; it directly affects the food, health of human beings, and the world’s ecosystem. Soil loss is the most severe type of land degradation across the world [6]. It has harmful impacts on crop production by removing topsoil enrich with nutrients. Sediment yield is the output of soil erosion that is the transportation process in total area [2]. It is the total amount of sediments yielded in the catchment area per unit of time. It results in the combination of some erosion processes and deposition of sediments in the basin [8]

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Conclusion