Potential soil erosion estimation and area prioritization for better conservation planning in Gumara watershed using RUSLE and GIS techniques\u2019

Abstract

BackgroundWater induced soil erosion has been continued to threaten the land resources in sub humid northwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Soil and water conservation measures have been implemented without site-specific scientifically quantified soil erosion data and priority bases. In this regard, quantitative analysis of soil erosion and its spatial variation plays a decisive role for better evidence and priority based implementation. Thus, this study aimed to estimate potential soil loss, identify hotspot areas, and prioritize for conservation measures in Gumara watershed using RUSLE, GIS and remote sensing techniques’.ResultThe study result showed that soil loss due to water erosion was found to be a critical problem in the watershed. It ranges from nearly zero in gentle slope of forest lands to 442.92 t ha−1 year−1 on very steep slope cultivated lands. A total of 9.683456 million t of gross surface soil has been lost annually, with an average soil erosion rate of 42.67 t ha−1 year−1. Of which 62.1% was generated from cultivated land. The model result indicated a high spatial variability of soil erosion within the watershed. High intensity of soil erosion has been principally attributed to slope and land use/covers. The study further estimated that about 63.1% of the total soil loss was generated from only 29.3% of the area delineated as very severe soil erosion severity class. Soil erosion rate for 71.7% of the watershed area was beyond the maximum tolerable soil erosion limit estimated for Ethiopian highlands (> 18 t ha−1 year−1). The sub-watershed severity class map revealed that 3814 ha of the sub-watershed area was evaluated as very severe level of soil erosion severity class.ConclusionSoil erosion in the watershed has been a threatening problem for agricultural production to day, its sustainability and to be worsening in the future unless remedial measures were taken, mainly due to human intervention. Therefore, Gumara watershed needs immediate intervention for better conservation planning by considering identified priority classes and hotspot areas.