Rainfall erosivity index for the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission site.

Paul Essel,Mawutoli Nyarku,Godfred S Asumadu-Sakyi,Yaw Adjei-Kyereme,Israel Nutifafa Doyi Yawo,Serwaa Yeboah,Yvette Agyiriba Agyiri,Eric T Glover,Evans Mawuli Ameho,Emmanuel Atule Aberikae,Gustav Kudjoe Gbeddy

doi:10.1186/s40064-016-2100-1

Abstract

Rainfall erosivity is the potential ability for rainfall to cause soil loss. The purpose of this study was to estimate the rainfall erosivity index for the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission site in order to compute the surface erosion rate. Monthly rainfall data, for the period 2003–2012 were used to compute annual rainfall erosivity indices for the site, using the Modified Fournier index. Values of the annual rainfall erosivity indices ranged from 73.5 mm for 2004 to 200.4 mm for the year 2003 with a mean annual erosivity index of 129.8 mm for the period. The Pearson’s Coefficient of Correlation was used to establish the relationship between annual rainfall and annual rainfall erosivity. This showed a high degree of positive relationship (r = 0.7) for the study area. The computed mean annual erosivity index revealed that the site is in the high erosion risk zone. Therefore, it is necessary to develop soil protection and management strategies to protect the soil from erosion.

Highlights

Rainfall is a key contributing factor to land degradation such as soil erosion
Values of the annual rainfall erosivity indices ranged from 73.5 mm for 2004 to 200.4 mm for the year 2003 with a mean annual erosivity index of 129.8 mm for the period
The computed mean annual erosivity index revealed that the site is in the high erosion risk zone

Summary

Introduction

Rainfall is a key contributing factor to land degradation such as soil erosion This is as a result of the ability of rainfall to dissolve, loosen or worn away soil by the force of raindrops, runoffs, and river flooding and deposit in other places (Balogun et al 2012; World Meteorological Organization 2005). Ghana is implementing the Borehole Disposal Concept (BDC), a specially engineered borehole, 30–100 m deep with narrow diameter (0.26 m) designed to dispose disused radioactive sources of less than 110 mm in length and 15 mm in diameter This concept was developed in South Africa under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) AFRA project for the disposal of disused sealed radioactive sources (DSRS) in member states with relatively small DSRS inventories

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