Application of RUSLE model for soil loss estimation of Jaipanda watershed, West Bengal

Soil erosion is a major environmental problem due to both natural and anthropogenic factors and continuous erosion leads to land degradation. In the present study, soil loss in Jaipanda watershed of West Bengal, India is estimated employing revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model and adopting integrated analysis in GIS. The factors used in RUSLE are namely the rainfall and runoff erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility factor (K), slope length and steepness factor (LS), cover and management factor (C) and support practice factor related to slope direction (P). These factors were computed from different data which have been obtained from meteorological station, soil maps, topographic maps, digital elevation model and satellite image. The five RUSLE factors were represented by raster layers in a GIS framework and then multiplied together to estimate the soil erosion rate in the study area. The study provided a reliable prediction of soil erosion rates and erosion potential zones within the watershed. The average soil loss amount for this watershed is about 0.59 tons/ha/year.