Effect of Land Use-Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion and Sediment Yield in Muger Sub-Basin, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Dawit Samuel Teshome, Mitiku Badasa Moisa, Dessalegn Obsi Gemeda and Songcai You ()
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Dawit Samuel Teshome: Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (IEDA), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China
Mitiku Badasa Moisa: Faculty of Technology, Wollega University, Shambu P.O. Box 38, Ethiopia
Dessalegn Obsi Gemeda: College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 307, Ethiopia
Songcai You: Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture (IEDA), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100081, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Land use and land cover (LULC) change have intense implications on soil resources, that requires research attention and global collaboration to take urgent actions. The present study attempted to analyze the impact of LULC change on soil erosion and sedimentation in Muger Sub-basin, southwestern parts of Ethiopia. Landsat TM 1986, Landsat ETM+ 2003, and Landsat OLI/TIRS 2020 are used for LULC analysis. We used rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length and steepness, cover management, and conservation practices to calculate soil erosion and sedimentation between 1986 and 2020. In this study, the integration of revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model and geographic information system (GIS) are used to analyze the impact of LULC change on soil erosion and sedimentation. The average soil loss rate is about 53.2 ton/ha/year in 1986 and increased to 63.6, and 64 ton/ha/year in 2003, 2020, respectively. Result revealed that about 2707.7 ha (33%), 3124.5 ha (38.1%) and 3197.4 ha (38.9%) were exposed to severe erosion in 1986, 2003 and 2020, respectively. The mean sediment yields of the study area is estimated to 7.8 ton/ha/year in 1986, and later increased to 10, and 10.2 ton/ha/year in 2003, and 2020, respectively. Results revealed that the steep slope areas with crop land experience considerable soil loss, with mean soil loss increasing over all study period. Thus, urgent policy on the wise use of natural resources is essential not optional to reduce the current soil loss and sedimentation in Muger Sub-basin.

Keywords: RUSLE model; mean annual soil loss; soil erosion; sediment yield; Muger sub-basin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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