Soil erosion assessment using earth observation data in a trans-boundary river basin

Soil erosion is a challenging environmental hazard that can be reduced by conservation practices. The study aimed to estimate the soil erosion rate using different digital elevation models (DEMs) data. We have applied the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) to assess soil erosion in the Ghaghara river basin. We have also estimated morphometric parameters to understand the susceptibility of sub-basin to soil loss. The estimated rates of soil erosion by RUSLE are 21.39, 18.31, 4.35, and 4.64 ton/ha/year for SRTM 30 m, ALOS 30 m, MERIT 90 m, and SRTM 90 m, respectively. In addition to this water retention curve of soil was estimated using Hydrus-1D model. Result show that a clay_loam soil has highest water holding capacity as 0.284 cm(3)/cm(3) and glacier (GLACIER-6998) has lowest as 0.22 cm(3)/cm(3), respectively in the basin. Further the basin hypsometry analysis was performed using Q-GIS, which indicate that sub-basins age from young to mature due to soil erosion. In last, the prioritized map was generated by the integration of RULSE, water holding capacity, and morphometry showed that the upper and middle portions of the basin need better conservation measures to control the excess soil erosion compared to the lower portion of the basin.

Automated summary

Soil erosion rate in Ghaghara river basin was estimated using different digital elevation models (DEMs), with RUSLE showing rates varying from 4.35 to 21.39 ton/ha/year. Water holding capacity varied between clay_loam soil and glacier areas. Hypsometry analysis indicated sub-basins transitioning from young to mature due to erosion, with prioritized conservation measures needed in upper and middle basin areas.