Abstract

Research Article

Applications of remote sensing and GIS for watershed characterization and soil loss assessment of tons watershed in Dehradun, Garhwal Himalaya

P.C. Chanyal

Department of Geography, D.S.B. Campus, Kumaun University Nainital, Uttarakhand

Corresponding Author e-mail: chanyalpc.geogkuntl@gmail.com

(Received: 10/05/2020; Revised: 10/06/2020; Accepted: 12/06/2020)

ABSTRACT

Watershed characterization is the most important part of watershed management which includes soil loss, soil loss assessment indicates the amount of soil loss or erosion in ton/hectare/ year through applying to Geospatial techniques as Remote sensing and GIS. The agricultural land is being lost by manmade as well natural whereas manmade or anthropogenic factor accelerates erosion of soil. It is a worldwide phenomenon leading to loss of decrease of water table availability for plants, increases runoff from the more impermeable subsoil, and loss of nutrients from the soil. Watershed management and assessment of soil loss are most helpful for planning and batter management in a watershed and planning units. Remote sensing and GIS along with the satellite image-based model approach provides a scientific, quantitative, and applied result. It can compute a consistent outcome of soil erosion and sediment yield for a wide range of areas under all climatic circumstances. Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) apply to soil loss, which is integrated with Remote Sensing and GIS in Tons watershed lies between 77°56’05” E to 78°01’01” East longitude and 30° 21’05” N to 30°26’51” North latitude, having 97.02 km2 area (9,702 hectares) under the sub-tropical climatic region of Uttarakhand. The present case study based on computational with software and geospatial technologies results come i.e. A = is the computed soil loss per unit area, R = is the rainfall erosivity, K = is the soil erodibility factor, L = is the slope-length factor, C = is the cover and management factor, P = is the support practice factor. The rainfall erosivity (R=87.5 + 0.375 × R), C P is under range 0.006-0.8, Soil Erosion Risk range is slight to High 51.40% and 0.85% total area of the study region. Average annual soil loss ton/ha/year indicated in different land-use classification as lowest soil loss found in River bed (0.17 ton/ha/year) and highest shown in the open forest (56.58 ton/ha/year) in 2016. The study area comes under a low probability zone and partially comes under a moderate and moderate-high zone. The case study can be highly recommended and will help to implementation of management of soil loss and soil conservation practice in the Tons watershed as well as Himalayan regions.  

Keywords: RUSLE, Tons Watershed, Soil Loss, Remote Sensing & GIS, Garhwal Himalaya.