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Spatio-temporal variation of soil erosion in Khamsan representative watershed using RUSLE

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

2 MSc, Department of Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Natural Resources, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Reaources University, Sari, Iran

Abstract

The dynamics of rainfal erosivity (R), crop management (C) and soil erodibility (K) factors compared to the others (topography-LS and land management-P) is the most important note for the correct estimate of soil erosion at different time bases. Spatio-temporal estimates of soil erosion in the representative paired watersheds are of particular importance due to their educational functions as well as the possibility of generalizing the results to larger areas of the country. Therefore, in the present study, while examining the dynamics of R, C and K factors in the Khamsan representative paired watershed, the distribution map of soil erosion in seasonal and annual time scales were prepared using RUSLE model for two water years of 2015-2016 and 2017-2018. The results showed that soil erosion in winter with values ​​of 3.94 and 4.95 t ha-1 y-1 accounted for about 49 and 74% of the total erosion of the year, respectively. Considering the melting conditions in calculating the K factor for the winter along with the lack of vegetation in this season led to a higher estimate of soil erosion than other seasons. These results are in consistent with plots soil loss data recorded in different seasons and the higher concentration of suspended sediments in the rivers especially in March. In the water year of 2015-2016, the distribution of rainfalls in the autumn was much higher than in the spring, so that soil erosion in the autumn accounted for about 33% of the total erosion of the year. In the water year of 2017-2018, although the average annual soil erosion was less, but due to more distribution of erosive rainfalls in winter at the same time with the lack of vegetation on the soil surface and the soil melting, the rate of winter erosion was very high.

Keywords

References
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Watershed Engineering and Management
Volume 13, Issue 3
October 2021
Pages 534-547
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