Potential Soil Erosion Mapping and Priority-Based Adaption Strategies Using RUSLE and Geospatial Techniques

An increase in soil erosion affects the storage capacity of reservoirs, navigation, floodplain inundation, water quality, and quantity in different parts of the world. Therefore, identifying vulnerable soil erosion zones within the watersheds and developing a catchment treatment plan can minimize soil erosion losses and improve reservoir sedimentation management. In this study, we calculated the average annual soil loss using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) method for the Hirakud catchment of the Mahanadi River Basin, India. The Hirakud dam, located on the river Mahanadi is considered the longest dam in Asia, witnessing major sedimentation problems over the past years. Our results suggest that the average annual soil loss is approximately 29 tons per hectare per year. At the same time, 0.7% of the land area contributes to very high erosion. The average annual soil loss is 0.8 t/ha. Using remote sensing and GIS tools, suitable soil conservation methods are recommended based on the watershed's Prioritization. Utilizing Saaty's AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) techniques, each erosion hazard parameter (EHP) is designated by weight, and the vulnerable regions are prioritized by overlaying the weights over the study area. Overall, nearly 17% of the area falls under the high priority, and 1% falls under the category of extremely high priority. In the extremely high-priority watershed, it is recommended to construct 38 farm ponds, 14 check dams, nine gully plugs, 27 percolation ponds, and two surface dikes, depending on the ground and stream characteristics.