Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state
Soil erosion is the major cause of land degradation, which has become a worldwide environmental problem that degrades soil productivity and water quality. Assessing soil erosion in hilly and mountainous terrain always pose a great challenge to researchers and policy makers due to the inaccessible te...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Environmental Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765721000107 |
| _version_ | 1818448998363561984 |
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| author | Justin George K Suresh Kumar Rani M Hole |
| author_facet | Justin George K Suresh Kumar Rani M Hole |
| author_sort | Justin George K |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil erosion is the major cause of land degradation, which has become a worldwide environmental problem that degrades soil productivity and water quality. Assessing soil erosion in hilly and mountainous terrain always pose a great challenge to researchers and policy makers due to the inaccessible terrain as well as the scarcity of detailed information of soil erosion factors. The study was carried out to estimate the average annual soil erosion and risk area in the Uttarakhand State of Indian Himalayan region using various high-resolution geospatial data layers such as Global rainfall erosivity database, SOILGRIDS, CartoDEM as well as LULC data by employing Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model in a GIS environment. These data layers provided spatially distributed reliable information of erosion factors. The average annual soil erosion rate was estimated as 27.45 t ha−1 yr−1, totaling to an amount of 119Mt yr−1 as potential soil loss from the state. Among the various physiographic regions, total soil loss amounts were estimated to be 2.94, 5.08, 5.35, 7.48, 15.55 and 82.88 Mt yr−1 from Tarai, Trans Himalaya, Bhabhar (foothills), Shivalik, Greater Himalaya and Middle Himalaya respectively. Mean erosion rates estimated for major river basins were found to be 14.64, 22.22, 31.23, 33.24, 36.86 and 38.00 t ha−1yr−1 for Ramganga, Ganga, Alaknanda, Kali, Bhagirathi and Yamuna basins respectively. Among the different slope classes, very steep slopes (>60%) showed the highest mean soil loss rates of 40.11 t ha−1yr−1 amounting to total soil loss of 50.28Mt yr−1. Study revealed that 20.34% of the area is classified as very severe erosion class (>40 t ha−1 yr−1). Vital information regarding regional assessment of soil erosion rate and risk area in the State highlighted the need for policy makers and planners in devising various strategies aimed at conservation and sustainable use of land resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T20:28:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1e1c276ba4d6453abd653433ce747ad6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7657 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T20:28:25Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Advances |
| spelling | doaj.art-1e1c276ba4d6453abd653433ce747ad62022-12-21T22:48:34ZengElsevierEnvironmental Advances2666-76572021-07-014100039Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand stateJustin George K0Suresh Kumar1Rani M Hole2Agriculture and Soils Department, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, ISRO, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, India; Corresponding author.Agriculture and Soils Department, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, ISRO, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, IndiaDepartment of Geography, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, Maharashtra, IndiaSoil erosion is the major cause of land degradation, which has become a worldwide environmental problem that degrades soil productivity and water quality. Assessing soil erosion in hilly and mountainous terrain always pose a great challenge to researchers and policy makers due to the inaccessible terrain as well as the scarcity of detailed information of soil erosion factors. The study was carried out to estimate the average annual soil erosion and risk area in the Uttarakhand State of Indian Himalayan region using various high-resolution geospatial data layers such as Global rainfall erosivity database, SOILGRIDS, CartoDEM as well as LULC data by employing Revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model in a GIS environment. These data layers provided spatially distributed reliable information of erosion factors. The average annual soil erosion rate was estimated as 27.45 t ha−1 yr−1, totaling to an amount of 119Mt yr−1 as potential soil loss from the state. Among the various physiographic regions, total soil loss amounts were estimated to be 2.94, 5.08, 5.35, 7.48, 15.55 and 82.88 Mt yr−1 from Tarai, Trans Himalaya, Bhabhar (foothills), Shivalik, Greater Himalaya and Middle Himalaya respectively. Mean erosion rates estimated for major river basins were found to be 14.64, 22.22, 31.23, 33.24, 36.86 and 38.00 t ha−1yr−1 for Ramganga, Ganga, Alaknanda, Kali, Bhagirathi and Yamuna basins respectively. Among the different slope classes, very steep slopes (>60%) showed the highest mean soil loss rates of 40.11 t ha−1yr−1 amounting to total soil loss of 50.28Mt yr−1. Study revealed that 20.34% of the area is classified as very severe erosion class (>40 t ha−1 yr−1). Vital information regarding regional assessment of soil erosion rate and risk area in the State highlighted the need for policy makers and planners in devising various strategies aimed at conservation and sustainable use of land resources.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765721000107Soil erosionRUSLESoilGridsUttarakhandHimalaya |
| spellingShingle | Justin George K Suresh Kumar Rani M Hole Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state Environmental Advances Soil erosion RUSLE SoilGrids Uttarakhand Himalaya |
| title | Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state |
| title_full | Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state |
| title_fullStr | Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state |
| title_short | Geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in Indian Himalayan region—A study of Uttarakhand state |
| title_sort | geospatial modelling of soil erosion and risk assessment in indian himalayan region a study of uttarakhand state |
| topic | Soil erosion RUSLE SoilGrids Uttarakhand Himalaya |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666765721000107 |
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