One of the main environmental issues facing Ethiopia is water-induced soil erosion, which has destroyed land in several areas, most notably the Damota Mountain highland areas. In addition to decreasing agricultural output and increasing sedimentation in rivers and lakes, erosion has resulted in the loss of productive topsoil. The livelihoods of the local populations that depend on agriculture and food security have been significantly impacted by this. This study sought to quantify and locate surface soil erosion in the Damota terrain by adopting the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) coupled with the GIS framework to estimate annual rates of soil loss and spatial determination of hotspots prone to surface erosion. Consequently, extending the methodologies used currently by combining high resolution satellite image data, an updated global digital elevation model, this study yields better results in terms of soil loss in a study period in South Ethiopia. In this study, RUSLE, GIS, and remote sensing were applied to the information collected. The inputs of the model are rainfall, a global digital elevation model, a satellite image, and a digital soil map. The model revealed soil loss ranged from 0 to 351.26 t ha−1 yr−1. In total, the Damota area loses an estimated 23.3 million tonnes of surface soil annually, with a mean soil erosion rate of 27.21 t ha−1 yr−1. Of these, a significant amount of soil loss (71.33%) was generated from the small hotspot areas of the steeply sloping upper topography of the study area. Slight soil erosion was observed in the level and gentle slope areas. The soil erosion severity class map showed that 14.78, 7.08, and 10.44% of the area had moderate, high, and very high soil loss risk, with rates of 21.23, 38.31, and 92.23 t ha−1 yr−1, respectively. The rate was much greater than the permissible level for Ethiopia's highlands (2–18 t ha−1 yr−1). The current study advances the understanding of GIS-based soil erosion modeling in the Damota area and can support conservation planning based on a better understanding of the erosion process. Specific development interventions of utmost importance are suggested for the countries ranked especially at-risk, stressing the importance of good soil and water management practices in order to protect what is considered to be the life-line of the region’s agriculture and ecology.

Quantification of Soil Erosion and Hotspot Area Identification Using GIS-Based RUSLE Model in the Damota Area Districts, South Ethiopia

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发表日期：

2025年1月17日

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Mamush Masha,
Mengie Belayneh,
Elias Bojago

摘要

One of the main environmental issues facing Ethiopia is water-induced soil erosion, which has destroyed land in several areas, most notably the Damota Mountain highland areas. In addition to decreasing agricultural output and increasing sedimentation in rivers and lakes, erosion has resulted in the loss of productive topsoil. The livelihoods of the local populations that depend on agriculture and food security have been significantly impacted by this. This study sought to quantify and locate surface soil erosion in the Damota terrain by adopting the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) coupled with the GIS framework to estimate annual rates of soil loss and spatial determination of hotspots prone to surface erosion. Consequently, extending the methodologies used currently by combining high resolution satellite image data, an updated global digital elevation model, this study yields better results in terms of soil loss in a study period in South Ethiopia. In this study, RUSLE, GIS, and remote sensing were applied to the information collected. The inputs of the model are rainfall, a global digital elevation model, a satellite image, and a digital soil map. The model revealed soil loss ranged from 0 to 351.26 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. In total, the Damota area loses an estimated 23.3 million tonnes of surface soil annually, with a mean soil erosion rate of 27.21 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Of these, a significant amount of soil loss (71.33%) was generated from the small hotspot areas of the steeply sloping upper topography of the study area. Slight soil erosion was observed in the level and gentle slope areas. The soil erosion severity class map showed that 14.78, 7.08, and 10.44% of the area had moderate, high, and very high soil loss risk, with rates of 21.23, 38.31, and 92.23 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively. The rate was much greater than the permissible level for Ethiopia's highlands (2–18 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). The current study advances the understanding of GIS-based soil erosion modeling in the Damota area and can support conservation planning based on a better understanding of the erosion process. Specific development interventions of utmost importance are suggested for the countries ranked especially at-risk, stressing the importance of good soil and water management practices in order to protect what is considered to be the life-line of the region’s agriculture and ecology.