Application of GIS and Statistical Multivariate Techniques for Estimation of Soil Erosion and Sediment Yield

In recent years, most of the regions in the world are exposed to degradation and erosion caused by increasing population and over use of land resources. The understanding of the most important factors on soil erosion and sediment yield are the main keys for decision making and planning. In this study, the sediment yield and soil erosion were estimated and the priority of different soil erosion factors used in the MPSIAC method of soil erosion estimation is evaluated in AliAbad watershed in southwest of Isfahan Province, Iran. Different information layers of the parameters were created using a GIS technique. Then, a multivariate procedure was applied to estimate sediment yield and to find the most important factors of soil erosion in the model. The results showed that land use, geology, land and soil cover are the most important factors describing the soil erosion estimated by MPSIAC model.

Authors:

• Masoud Nasri
• Ali Gholami
• Ali Najafi

Keywords:

• land degradation
• Soil erosion
• Sediment yield
• Aliabad
• GIS technique
• Land use.

References:

[1] Feiznia, S., Mokhtari, A. and Ahmadi, H., (2002) Application of
remote sensing in providing land use and ground cover information
layers in MPSIAC erosion model, Pajuhesh -va- Sazandegi
journal(Iranian).
[2] Foster R. H., Maureen V., Warren P., Barten, K. (1995) Comparative
evaluation of land cover data sources for erosion prediction. Water
Resources Bulletin, Vol 31,no. 6,991-999.
[3] Gabson, Gd. , (1992), Applied multivariate data analysis, Volume 2 :
categorical and multivariate methods, Springer - Verlag, 731p.
[4] Gholami, A., (2005), Application of remote information layers in
MPSIAC erosion model (AliAbad watershed in the southwest of
Isfahan Province, Iran), Msc thesis, Islamic Azad University, Science
and Research Campus, Tehran, Iran.
[5] Johnson. C.W. Gebhardt. K.A. (1992) Predicting sediment yields
from saga brush rangeland for proceedings of the workshop on
estimating erosion and sediment yield on rangelands. Tucson Aritong,
March 1982.V.5.Department of agriculture ARM-W-26.p:145-156.
[6] Logan T.J., Urban D.R., Adams J.R., and Yaksichs, (1982) Erosion
control potential with conservation tillage in the Lake Erie basin:
estimates using the universal soil loss equation and the land resource
information system (LRIS). Reprinted with permission of Journal of
Soil and Water Conservation, 37: 50-55.
[7] Zachar, D., (1982). Soil erosion, development in soil science, Elsevier
scientific publishing company. C. Zechelarakia. Pp: 547.