Risk assessment of soil erosion under different land use changes across the Himalayan ecosystem using GIS & RS techniques in the Rusle model

Urwa  Tahir; Arshad  Ashraf; Saleem  Arif

Authors

Urwa Tahir M.Phil, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. Author
Arshad Ashraf PhD, Climate, Energy and Water Research Institute (CEWRI), National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Park Road, Chak Shahzad, Islamabad, Pakistan. Author
Saleem Arif PhD, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. Author

Keywords:

Rusle, GIS & RS, Himalayan Region, Geology and Widespread, Mansehra District

Abstract

Soil erosion poses a significant risk to agricultural production, especially in mountainous areas with weak geology and widespread deforestation. This research evaluated soil erosion dynamics in Mansehra District, Pakistan, for 2000 and 2023 by applying the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. Five major parameters rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope steepness and length (LS), cover management (C), and conservation practices (P) were obtained from meteorological, soil, and remote sensing data. Results indicated that average soil erosion had risen from 26.5 tons/ha/year in 2000 to 33.7 tons/ha/year in 2023, an increase of 26.6% during the study period. Risk of soil erosion was classified into very low, low, moderate, high, and very high classes, with steep slopes and greater rainfall being most susceptible. Land cover and land use changes, fueled by population expansion and infrastructure development, greatly exacerbated erosion, especially in regions where rangelands were being cleared to agricultural land. The results underscore the critical necessity for particular methods for preventing erosion and environmentally friendly land management techniques. This research offers a useful framework for the formulation of conservation measures to reduce soil erosion on varied landscapes in Pakistan.

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