Soil erosion risk estimate using RUSLE-GIS model: A case study of Cañete River Basin

Authors

Ccenhua Yapia, Anai

Ayllon Misari, Victor Alonso

Fernandez, Joel

Abstract

The erosive advance of soils due to the development of human-derived activities, such as agriculture and livestock, has caused soil erosion to gain importance in different countries around the world. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), this problem has been at its most serious for the past 20 years. Latin American countries, such as Peru, show greater progress in this problem due to the scarcity of studies and the lack of measures for the conservation and adequate use of soil. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model provides quantitative results for soil loss estimation. In this context, the present study evaluates the erosion rate in the Cañete river basin between the years 1981 - 2016. For this purpose, remote sensing data obtained on rainfall, temperature, soil types, topography and vegetation cover from various national and international satellite sources with 12.5 x 12.5km resolution are integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS). According to the results, the study showed that the factors R (rainfall erosivity factor) and LS (topographic factor) have the highest values, 1244.623 MJ.mm/ha.h and 116 respectively, recorded in the areas of the upper Cañete river basin, also have the greatest influence on soil erosion rates for the Basin. The lower and upper areas of the basin are not favored by the type of vegetation cover "cultivated land" that has the highest value for this factor (0.63). The results suggest the implementation of soil conservation practices for the middle and upper sub-basin of the study area. The average rate of soil erosion obtained between the years 1981-2016 was 10.81 ton.ha-1.year-1, which is considered moderate erosion according to the FAO classification