Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Scientific Board, Khorasan Razavi Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center, AREEO, Mashhad, Iran
2 Professor, Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran
Abstract
One of the most important factors of soil erosion is the improper use of lands according to their potencial. According to sosio-economic factors of watershed, it is impossible to reduce the amount of soil erosion in the rate of natural erosion, but, it can be reduced, through integrated watershed management. Soil loss mitigation while having high productivity is possible by appropriate land use and land capability. In this research, Sheshtamad catchment of Khorasn Razavi Province was selected for determining the optimal level of land use and the effect of correct methods of management on maximizing net income of residents and minimizing the effect of soil erosion. Multi-objective linear programming model and simplex method were used in three different scenarios of 1) current land use conditions with current land management, 2) current land use conditions with improved land management, and 3) Standardized land use condition. The amount of net income and soil erosion were computed in rangelands, orchards, wooded ranglands, dry-lands and irrigated lands in all three scenarios and then the area of each land use was optimized, using optimization software. Results showed that land use optimization in Sheshtamad Watershed, decreases soil erosion, and increases total net income, although the amount is small, because of the conditions studied. The amount of annual soil erosion was reduced by 0.08%, 0.36%, 0.75% and the amount of annual net income was increased by 3.12, 20.88 and 313.75 thousand Rials, respectively, in the above three different scenarios,. The results also showed that in the case of some propoer management practices, the soil erosion reduces by 3.25 times and net income increses by 6.7 times.
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