ASSESSING SOIL EROSION DYNAMICS IN THE RMEL WATERSHED, NORTH-WESTERN MOROCCO BY USING THE RUSLE MODEL, GIS, AND REMOTE SENSING INTEGRATION

Abstract

Soil erosion induced by water constitutes a challenge with far-reaching environmental and socioeconomic implications across diverse global regions. This phenomenon detrimentally affects agricultural yield, accelerates dam siltation, and amplifies the susceptibility to flooding. Consequently, a prerequisite for any land development initiative is the meticulous identification and mapping of areas prone to erosion. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is the predominant method for evaluating soil erosion, encompassing climate erosivity, topography, vegetation cover, soil erodibility, and anti-erosion interventions. This study integrated RUSLE with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to delineate soil losses within the Rmel watershed in northwestern Morocco. The outcomes unveiled an average annual erosion rate of approximately 15.8 tons per hectare, a comparatively modest figure with adjacent regions. Merely 9% of the watershed exhibits vulnerability to soil erosion, surpassing the threshold of 15 tons per hectare annually. These vulnerable areas are predominantly influenced by anthropogenic activities in the basin's central region and adverse climatic conditions downstream. The insights from this research can inform decision-makers in developing strategic action plans and policies for effective soil erosion management in the region. Additionally, the integration of magnetic susceptibility could serve as a complementary tool to enhance the robustness of this analysis.