Multi-temporal annual soil loss risk mapping employing Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model in Nun Nadi Wa
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ORIGINAL PAPER
Multi-temporal annual soil loss risk mapping employing Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model in Nun Nadi Watershed, Uttrakhand (India) Hasan Raja Naqvi & Javed Mallick & Laishram Mirana Devi & Masood Ahsan Siddiqui
Received: 7 January 2012 / Accepted: 15 August 2012 # Saudi Society for Geosciences 2012
Abstract The present comparative study is multi-temporal in nature. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), remote sensing, and GIS were used to model the soil loss estimation for soil conservation and vegetation rehabilitation in Nun Nadi watershed for the years 2000 and 2009. The estimated mean soil loss for the year 2000 and 2009 is 3,283.11 and 1,419.39 Mgha−1 year−1, respectively. The study finds that about 80 % area has low or least risk of erosion and about 7 % is exposed to high or very high risk which indicates the improvement in terms of soil loss if we compare the data of both the time periods. The findings show that the rainfall, LULC change, and elevation are the main responsible factors for the soil loss in Nun Nadi watershed. Conservation measures have been adopted; however, the problem still remains serious and demands urgent attention. Keywords Soil erosion . Land use land cover change . RUSLE . Remote sensing/ GIS . Nun Nadi Watershed
H. R. Naqvi (*) : L. M. Devi : M. A. Siddiqui Department of Geography, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi 110025, India e-mail: [email protected] L. M. Devi e-mail: [email protected] M. A. Siddiqui e-mail: [email protected] J. Mallick Faculty of Engineering, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia e-mail: [email protected]
Introduction Soil is the top layer of the earth’s surface that is capable of sustaining life. Erosion of topsoil begins when water detaches individual soil particle from clods and other soil aggregates (Renata and Borivoj 2002). Soil erosion is a natural phenomenon and as a result, this process decreases the soil fertility. Soil erosion directly affects the agriculture by diminishing crop yield, food supplies and water resources, and other sectors of economy and environment (Hauck 1985). Although soil erosion is a worldwide problem yet the developing countries suffer more because of the inability of their farming populations to replace lost soils and nutrients (Erenstein 1999). In India, about 16.4 ton ha−1 of soil is detached annually, of which about 29 % is carried away by the river into the sea and 10 % is deposited in reservoirs resulting in the considerable loss of the storage capacity (Narayana and Ram 1983). The Shiwalik hills, north western Himalayan region, ravines and shifting cultivations are under severe erosion—more than 20 Mg/ha/year (Singh et al. 1992). There are different strategies to counter the consequences of soil erosion. Watershed management has emerged as an effective and potential measure to mitigate erosion related problem. Watersheds are natural boundaries of land areas that catch rain and drain into specific water bodies (Edmund and
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