Assessing soil erosion risk using RUSLE through a GIS open source desktop and web application.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geosciences
• Geographic Information Systems

Background:

• Soil erosion is a significant environmental issue, necessitating accurate risk assessment.
• The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is a standard methodology for estimating soil loss.
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) offer tools for spatial analysis and risk mapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a GIS open-source application (QGIS) for estimating soil erosion rates at the watershed scale using RUSLE.
• To provide both desktop and web-accessible versions of the developed soil erosion risk assessment application.
• To generate all necessary maps for evaluating soil erosion risk.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) methodology.
• Developed a GIS open-source application within QGIS, incorporating SEXTANTE libraries and algorithms.
• Generated RUSLE-related maps: soil erosivity, soil erodibility, topographic factor, cover management factor, and support practices.

Main Results:

• The estimated mean soil loss was 220 ton km⁻² year⁻¹, with values ranging from 0.27 to 1283 ton km⁻² year⁻¹.
• Approximately 80% of the study area exhibited very low soil erosion levels (<321 ton km⁻² year⁻¹).
• Areas with high slopes and bare soil, along with higher P and C values, correlated with increased soil erosion.

Conclusions:

• The developed RUSLE application (desktop and web) effectively estimates soil erosion risk at the watershed scale.
• High slope values and bare soil conditions are critical factors contributing to elevated soil erosion rates.
• The freely available applications facilitate broader access to soil erosion risk assessment tools.