Risk Assessment of Soil Erosion Using a GIS-Based SEMMA in Post-Fire and Managed Watershed

Abstract

A large wildfire occurred due to strong winds and dry climates in the Gangwon province of South Korea. Thereafter, floods and sediment damage were caused by Typhoon Mitag in the burned areas. This study was an attempt to quantitatively evaluate the risk of soil erosion in wildfire areas using the Soil Erosion Model for Mountain Areas (SEMMA) based on GIS, which was developed in South Korea. The model required the integration of maps of the main factors involved, i.e., rainfall erosivity, vegetation index, soil erodibility, and slope length and steepness. According to the model simulation results, high erosion rates of over 100 t/ha were concentrated within the wildfire areas. Sediment yields from the study watershed, including the wildfire areas, were estimated to be 40.33 t/ha for the 30-year frequency of rainfall, which is similar to those of the typhoon. The high risk of erosion was predominantly observed in the upper mountains, which are characterized by steep slopes, silt loam, and shallow soil depths within the wildfire areas. Urgent and excessive logging of burned trees further increased the risk of erosion. However, various treatment strategies were implemented to control soil erosion and sediment transport from the post-fire watershed. This study confirmed that temporal and spatial BMPs should be selected and enforced to reduce sediment disasters in wildfire areas.