Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, University of Dayton, 300 College Park, Dayton, OH, 45469-2364, USA.
Ethiopian Construction Design and Supervision Works Corporation, 2561, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Environ Monit Assess. 2023 Nov 20;195(12):1501. doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-12136-2.
Erosion of soil refers to the process of detaching and transporting topsoil from the land surface by natural forces such as water, wind, and other factors. As a result of this process, soil fertility is lost, water bodies' depth is reduced, water turbidity rises, and flood hazard problems, etc. Using a numerical model of erosion rates and erosion risks in the Jejebe watershed of the Baro Akobo basin in western Ethiopia, this study mapped erosion risks to prioritize conservation measures. In this study, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was used, which was adapted to Ethiopian conditions. To estimate soil loss with RUSLE, the rainfall erosivity (R) factor was generated by interpolating rainfall data, the soil erodibility (K) factor was derived from the soil map, the topography (LS) factor was determined from the digital elevation model (DEM), cover and management (C) factor derived from the land use/cover data, and conservation practices (P) factor generated from digital elevation model (DEM) and land use/cover data were integrated with remote sensing data and the GIS 10.5 environment. The findings indicated that the watershed annual soil loss varies from nearly 0 on a gentle slope of forest lands to 265.8 t ha year in the very steep slope upper part of the watershed, with a mean annual soil loss of 36.2 t ha year. The total annual soil loss in the watershed is estimated to be around 919,886.5 tons per year. To minimize the amount of soil erosion in the watershed that had been most severely affected, we identified eight conservation strategies that could be implemented. These strategies were based on the participatory watershed development (PWD) principles established by the Ethiopian government and the severity of the erosion in the watershed. The study's findings showed that a GIS-based RUSLE soil erosion assessment model can provide a realistic prediction of the amount of soil loss that will occur in the watershed. This tool can also help identify the priority areas for implementing effective erosion control measures.
土壤侵蚀是指土壤从陆地表面被自然力（如水、风和其他因素）分离和输送的过程。这一过程导致土壤肥力丧失、水体深度减少、水质浑浊度上升以及洪水灾害等问题。本研究利用埃塞俄比亚西部巴罗阿科博流域杰杰贝流域侵蚀速率和侵蚀风险的数值模型，对侵蚀风险进行制图，以便优先采取保护措施。本研究使用了经过埃塞俄比亚条件修正的通用土壤流失方程（RUSLE）模型。为了用 RUSLE 估算土壤流失，采用插值法生成降雨侵蚀力（R）因子，从土壤图中推导出土壤可蚀性（K）因子，从数字高程模型（DEM）中得出地形（LS）因子，从土地利用/覆盖数据中推导出覆盖和管理（C）因子，从数字高程模型（DEM）和土地利用/覆盖数据中生成保护措施（P）因子，将这些因子与遥感数据和 GIS 10.5 环境集成。研究结果表明，流域的年土壤流失量从森林缓坡的近 0 到流域上部极陡坡的 265.8 t ha year 不等，平均年土壤流失量为 36.2 t ha year。流域每年的土壤流失总量估计约为 919886.5 吨。为了最大限度地减少受影响最严重的流域土壤侵蚀量，我们确定了八项可以实施的保护策略。这些策略基于埃塞俄比亚政府制定的参与式流域发展（PWD）原则和流域的侵蚀严重程度。研究结果表明，基于 GIS 的 RUSLE 土壤侵蚀评估模型可以对流域内发生的土壤流失量进行现实预测。该工具还可以帮助确定实施有效侵蚀控制措施的优先区域。
