Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society (한국지반환경공학회 논문집)

Korean Geo-Environmental Society (한국지반환경공학회)
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Assessment of Soil Erosion Loss by Using RUSLE and GIS in the Bagmati Basin of Nepal

  • Bastola, Shiksha (Department of Construction and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Seong, Yeon Jeong (Department of Construction and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Lee, Sang Hyup (Department of Construction and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Shin, Yongchul (Department of Agricultural Civil Engineering, Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Jung, Younghun (Department of Construction and Disaster Prevention Engineering, Kyungpook National University)
  • Received : 2018.10.01
  • Accepted : 2019.02.15
  • Published : 2019.03.01
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Abstract

This study attempted to study the soil erosion dynamic in the Bagmati Basin of Nepal. In this study, an inclusive methodology that combines Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and GIS techniques was adopted to determine the distribution of soil loss in the study basin. As well, this study attempts to study the intensity of soil erosion in the seven different land use patterns in the Bagmati Basin. Soil loss is an associated phenomenon of hydrologic cycle and this dynamic phenomenon possesses threats to sustainability of basin hydrology, agriculture system, hydraulic structures in operation and overall ecosystem in a long run. Soil conservation works, and various planning and design of watersheds works demands quantification of soil loss. The results of the study in Bagmati Basin shows the total annual soil loss in the basin is 22.93 million tons with an average rate of 75.83T/ha/yr. The computed soil loss risk was divided into five classes from tolerable to severe and the spatial pattern was mapped for easy interpretation. Also, evaluation of soil loss in different land use categories shows barren area has highest rate of soil loss followed by agriculture area. This is a preliminary work and provides erosion risk scenario in the basin. The study can be further used for strategic planning of land use and hydrologic conservation works in a basin.

Keywords

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Fig. 1. Location of basin in the map of Nepal

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Fig. 2. Slope map of the basin

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Fig. 3. Distribution of land use in the basin

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Fig. 4. RUSLE data preparation

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Fig. 5. Factors for RUSLE computation

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Fig. 6. Soil loss distribution in the basin

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Fig. 7. Soil loss in different land use

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Fig. 8. Soil loss groups by OECD

Table 1. Details of precipitation data

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Table 2. Value of m for different slope gradients

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Table 3. Cover management factor (C) based on land use

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Table 4. OECD standard for soil loss risk classification

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Table 5. Soil loss risk classified by the OECD standard

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Table 6. Soil loss on each land use

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Table 7. Soil loss risk classified by OECD standard for types of land use

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