Study of soil erosion by using remote sensing and GIS techniques in Sone command area in Bihar, India

Abstract

Soil erosion is caused by various reasons, but the land slope and poor land management are the main reasons. Identification of erosion-prone areas is the most important factor for agricultural planning and effective land management. This study includes an estimation of average annual soil loss in the Sone command area in Bihar and the preparation of spatially distributed soil erosion map for different land-use scenarios. The soil in the study area is generally clay loam. A well-known empirical equation i.e. RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) has been used to estimate parameters and prepare spatially distributed maps. By using remote sensing and GIS techniques different soil loss parameters like rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness factor (LS), cover management factor (C) and conservation practice factor (P) are estimated and spatially distributed map of all these parameters are prepared. Average soil loss in the study area was found in the range 21 to 40 t.ha−1.yr−1 and the maximum value is found to be around 7000 t.ha−1.yr−1. It was also found that areas with high soil erosion rates are very low. Around 46% variation is observed between the maximum and minimum average soil loss rates.