Spatial Estimation of Soil Erosion Using RUSLE Modeling: A case study of Dolakha District, Nepal
Abstract Background: In the mountainous areas, soil erosion causes the topsoil loss which decreases fertility in the agricultural land. Spatial estimation of soil erosion essential for an agriculture-dependent country like Nepal for developing erosion control plans. This study was conducted for estimation of soil erosion impacts on Dolakha using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model, also analyzes the effect of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) on soil erosion.Results: The soil erosion rate had been categorized into 6 erosion classes based on the erosion severity, and 5.01% of the areas was found to be under extreme severe erosion risk (> 80 Mg ha-1yr-1) that should be addressed by decision-maker for reducing its rate and consequences. Followed by 10 % areas were classified under high to severe with the rate of soil loss range from 10 to 80 Mg ha-1yr-1. While 15% and 70% of areas remained in moderate and low-risk zone respectively. The results suggest this district northeastern part suffers from a high soil erosion risk due to steep slope.Conclusions: The result produces a spatial distribution of soil erosion over Dolakha, which can be applied for conservation and management planning processes, at the policy level, by land-use planners and decision-makers.