Logo Lanfrica

ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION AND DEFORESTATION ON SOIL EROSION BY USING RUSLE MODEL AND GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES IN GUDURE WATERSHED, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Domain:

environment and energygeospatial

Record type:

paper
Creator:
NIM
Publisher:
Zenodo
Host:avatar
The expansion of built-up areas at the expense of natural forests has significantly altered the natural environment, particularly soil resources. This study aimed to analyze the effects of land use and land cover (LULC) changes on soil erosion in the Gudure Watershed between 1995 and 2025. Landsat TM (1995), ETM+ (2010), and OLI/TIRS (2025) satellite images were acquired and classified using a supervised maximum likelihood classification method. In addition, rainfall data, slope derived from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and soil characteristics were incorporated to assess soil erosion risk. The RUSLE model integrated with geospatial techniques was used to evaluate the impact of LULC changes on soil erosion. The results showed that cultivated land increased by 12.8% mainly due to the conversion of forest and grassland into agricultural land. Consequently, the mean annual soil loss increased by 11.9 t/ha/year over the study period. Areas classified as very severe erosion expanded by 8.3%. The highest soil loss, averaging 62.3 t/ha/year, was observed in cultivated lands located on steep slopes. Among the five sub-watersheds, SWS4 and SWS5 were classified as experiencing very severe soil erosion, with SWS5 identified as the most critical area, recording a mean annual soil loss of 59.9 t/ha/year. The study recommends implementing targeted soil and water conservation practices such as terracing, contour farming, and increasing vegetative cover in highly vulnerable areas. Immediate intervention is particularly necessary in SWS5 due to its exceptionally high erosion rates.     Keywords: Remote sensing, LULC, GIS, RUSLE model, Soil erosion, Gudure watershed

Tasks

computer visionimage classification

Licenses

Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL)http://www.opendefinition.org/licenses/odc-odblOpen Accessinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Similar

Soil Erosion Assessment Using the RUSLE Model and Geospatial Techniques (Remote Sensing and GIS) in South-Central Niger (Maradi Region)

A systematic method, incorporating the revised universal soil loss equation model (RUSLE), remote se

Assessment Of Climate Change Effect On Soil Erosion Using Rusle Model And Gis Spatial Tools In The Case Of Agafarie Watershed, Northern Ethiopia

Soil erosion by water is the major form of land degradation in Agafarie watershed. The integration o

Estimation of Soil Erosion Using RUSLE Model and GIS: The Case of Satinskyi Catchment, Western Rwanda

The problem of soil erosion in Rwanda has been highlighted in previous studies. They have shown that

Assessment of soil erosion of Burundi using remote sensing and GIS by RUSLE model

This present work is the results of study on water erosion in Burundi, a landlocked country amid the

Soil erosion and sediment yield assessment using RUSLE and GIS-based approach in Anjeb watershed, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract Soil erosion is a serious and continuous environmental problem in Ethiopia. Lack of land u

Assessing the Impact of Land-Use/Land-Cover and Climate Changes on Soil Erosion by Using Integrated RUSLE, GIS and Remote Sensing Techniques: A Case Study on Ketar Watershed, Main Ethiopian Rift