Distributive analysis of soil loss in the Abbay River Basin in Ethiopia after watershed management interventions

Author(s):  
Wael M. Khairy
Author(s):  
Wael M. Khairy ◽  

Recently, increasing concern in Africa has been registered on the potential impacts on base flow and stream flow due to the implementation of watershed management interventions. This research incorporates spatially monthly geographical hydrological data sets into a developed spreadsheet water balance model to estimate the changes in surface runoff, base flow and stream flow as a result of implementing watershed management interventions in the Abbay River Basin during the period (2010-2018). The model was implemented at sub-catchment level. Considering Year 2005 as a datum for watershed management intervention, results of the modeling and spatial analysis indicated that watershed management interventions relatively reduced surface runoff, increased deep infiltration to groundwater and accordingly increased base flow to the stream. Among the key results in the Abbay Basin that change from Year 2010 to Year 2018 was reduction of surface runoff from the Abbay Basin in the amount of 1,753 million m3/yr. As a result, an increase in annual base flow in the amount of 23 million m3/yr was estimated, leaving a reduction in annual mean flow of the Abbay River in the amount of 1,731 million m3/yr of the Abbay River at El-Diem site. It is expected that the flow of the Abbay River will continue to decrease due to the continuous implementation of the watershed management interventions and agriculture expansion in the Abbay Basin.


Author(s):  
Seiichi Kagaya ◽  
Tetsuya Wada

AbstractIn recent years, it has become popular for some of countries and regions to adapt the system of governance to varied and complex issues concerned with regional development and the environment. Watershed management is possibly the best example of this. It involves flood control, water use management and river environment simultaneously. Therefore, comprehensive watershed-based management should be aimed at balancing those aims. The objectives of this study are to introduce the notion of environmental governance into the planning process, to establish a method for assessing the alternatives and to develop a procedure for determining the most appropriate plan for environmental governance. The planning process here is based on strategic environment assessment (SEA). To verify the hypothetical approach, the middle river basin in the Tokachi River, Japan was selected as a case study. In practice, after workshop discussions, it was found to have the appropriate degree of consensus based on the balance of flood control and environmental protection in the watershed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 336-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre Marco da Silva ◽  
Lilian Casatti ◽  
Clayton Alcarde Alvares ◽  
Aline Maria Leite ◽  
Luiz Antonio Martinelli ◽  
...  

Soil loss expectation and possible relationships among soil erosion, riparian vegetation and water quality were studied in the São José dos Dourados River basin, State of São Paulo, Brazil. Through Geographic Information System (GIS) resources and technology, Soil Loss Expectation (SLE) data obtained using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model were analyzed. For the whole catchment area and for the 30 m buffer strips of the streams of 22 randomly selected catchments, the predominant land use and habitat quality were studied. Owing mainly to the high soil erodibility, the river basin is highly susceptible to erosive processes. Habitat quality analyses revealed that the superficial water from the catchments is not chemically impacted but suffers physical damage. A high chemical purity is observed since there are no urban areas along the catchments. The water is physically poor because of high rates of sediment delivery and the almost nonexistence of riparian vegetation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Habtamu Tamiru ◽  
Meseret Wagari

Abstract Background: The quantity of soil loss as a result of soil erosion is dramatically increasing in catchment where land resources management is very weak. The annual dramatic increment of the depletion of very important soil nutrients exposes the residents of this catchment to high expenses of money to use artificial fertilizers to increase the yield. This paper was conducted in Fincha Catchment where the soil is highly vulnerable to erosion, however, where such studies are not undertaken. This study uses Fincha catchment in Abay river basin as the study area to quantify the annual soil loss, where such studies are not undertaken, by implementing Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model developed in ArcGIS version 10.4. Results: Digital Elevation Model (12.5 x 12.5), LANDSAT 8 of Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), Annual Rainfall of 10 stations (2010-2019) and soil maps of the catchment were used as input parameters to generate the significant factors. Rainfall erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility factor (K), cover and management factor (C), slope length and steepness factor (LS) and support practice factor (P) were used as soil loss quantification significant factors. It was found that the quantified average annual soil loss ranges from 0.0 to 76.5 t ha-1 yr-1 was obtained in the catchment. The area coverage of soil erosion severity with 55%, 35% and 10% as low to moderate, high and very high respectively were identified. Conclusion: Finally, it was concluded that having information about the spatial variability of soil loss severity map generated in the RUSLE model has a paramount role to alert land resources managers and all stakeholders in controlling the effects via the implementation of both structural and non-structural mitigations. The results of the RUSLE model can also be further considered along with the catchment for practical soil loss quantification that can help for protection practices.


2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 153-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.W. Koning ◽  
K.A. Saffran ◽  
J.L. Little ◽  
L. Fent

The Oldman River flows 440 km from its headwaters in south-western Alberta, through mountains, foothills and plains into the South Saskatchewan River. Peak flows occur in May and June. Three major reservoirs, together with more than a dozen other structures, supply water to nine irrigation districts and other water users in the Oldman basin. Human activity in the basin includes forestry, recreation, oil and gas development, and agriculture, including a large number of confined livestock feeding operations. Based on the perception of basin residents that water quality was declining and of human health concern, the Oldman River Basin Water Quality Initiative was formed in 1997 to address the concerns. There was limited factual information, and at the time there was a desire for finger pointing. Results (1998–2002) show that mainstem water quality remains good whereas tributary water quality is more of a challenge. Key variables of concern are nutrients, bacteria and pesticides. Point source discharges are better understood and better regulated, whereas non-point source runoff requires more attention. Recent data on Cryptosporidium and Giardia species are providing benefit for focusing watershed management activities. The water quality data collected is providing a foundation to implement community-supported urban and rural better management practices to improve water quality.


2012 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-204
Author(s):  
Hee-Joung Joung ◽  
Jae-Woon Jung ◽  
Kap-Soon Kim ◽  
Ha-Na Park ◽  
Byung-Jin Lim ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rohit Kumar ◽  
Benidhar Deshmukh ◽  
Kiran Sathunuri

<p>Land degradation is a global concern posing significant threat to sustainable development. One of its major aspects is soil erosion, which is recognised as one of the critical geomorphic processes controlling sediment budget and landscape evolution. Natural rate of soil erosion is exacerbated due to anthropogenic activities that may lead to soil infertility. Therefore, assessment of soil erosion at basin scale is needed to understand its spatial pattern so as to effectively plan for soil conservation. This study focuses on Parbati river basin, a major north flowing cratonic river and a tributary of river Chambal to identify erosion prone areas using RUSLE model. Soil erodibility (K), Rainfall erosivity (R), and Topographic (LS) factors were derived from National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Nagpur (NBSS-LUP) soil maps, India Meteorological Department (IMD) datasets, and SRTM30m DEM, respectively in GIS environment. The crop management (C) and support practice (P) factors were calculated by assigning appropriate values to Land use /land cover (LULC) classes derived by random forest based supervised classification of Sentinel-2 level-1C satellite remote sensing data in Google Earth Engine platform. High and very high soil erosion were observed in NE and NW parts of the basin, respectively, which may be attributed to the presence of barren land, fallow areas and rugged topography. The result reveals that annual rate of soil loss for the Parbati river basin is ~319 tons/ha/yr (with the mean of 1.2 tons/ha/yr). Lowest rate of soil loss (i.e. ~36 tons/ha/yr with mean of 0.22 tons/ha/yr) has been observed in the open forest class whereas highest rate of soil loss (i.e. ~316 tons/ha/yr with mean of 32.08 tons/ha/yr) have been observed in gullied area class. The study indicates that gullied areas are contributing most to the high soil erosion rate in the basin. Further, the rate of soil loss in the gullied areas is much higher than the permissible value of 4.5–11 tons/ha/yr recognized for India. The study helps in understanding spatial pattern of soil loss in the study area and is therefore useful in identifying and prioritising erosion prone areas so as to plan for their conservation.</p>


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