Soil Erosion Assessment For Northern Kerala Utilizing Rusle Method And Gis Techniques

Abstract

Soil erosion represents a critical factor contributing to environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources. This research targets a potentially susceptible region in Northern Kerala and seeks to analyze and forecast the rate of soil erosion employing Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing methodologies. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) framework is utilized to examine essential parameters associated with soil erosion. This methodology is highly accurate and dependable, involving the detailed assessment of factors such as R, K, LS, C, and P derived from local precipitation, topography, soil classification, and satellite imagery. The findings of this study indicate that soil loss is projected to range from 2.5 to 25 tons per hectare per year within the study area. Grasping this information is vital for enhancing soil conservation strategies, augmenting soil fertility, maximizing crop yield, improving water quality, managing disasters, and addressing other related factors. The investigation integrates GIS with RUSLE to evaluate pixel-based soil erosion rates across five districts encompassing an area of 12,995 square kilometers. The vicinity of the Western Ghats in this region renders it susceptible to soil erosion, resulting in natural calamities such as landslides.