Use the "back" button of your browser to return to the list of abstracts.
ASSESSING RUNOFF AND SOIL EROSION BY WATER USING GIS AND RS TECHNIQUES AT MIDMAR CATCHMENT, NORTHERN ETHIOPIA [Abstract ID: 0610-04]
Soil erosion in Midmar watershed is a widespread problem causing loss of soil and organic matter and hence adversely affecting fertility and reduction in crop yield. The root causes for this problem are degradation of natural resources, intensive soil erosion, deforestation, poorly developed infrastructure, impact of farmers to the dam and intensive cultivation. This research has therefore, been carried out to evaluate runoff and soil erosion risk in the watershed. Rainfall data, soil data, DEM data and satellite image were used as input data sets to generate RUSLE factor values. Raster calculator was used to interactively calculate soil loss and derive soil erosion risk map. The result showed that the estimated annual soil loss of the watershed ranges from 0.00 to 122 t/ha/yr and the mean annual soil loss rate is 23.7t/ha/yr. Of the 11 sub-watersheds, nine (67.3%) were predicted to experience annual soil loss of more than the watershed’s average (23.7t/ ha/yr) whereas two sub-watersheds experienced estimated annual soil losses than the average (32.7%). The average soil loss of Midmar watershed is also 23.7t/ha/yr. Among all the sub-watersheds the highest soil loss is contributed by 4 sub-watershed and hence should be given priority during intervention planning.