Application of the RUSLE Modeling Tool for Quantification of Soil Erosion towards Sustainable Planning: The Case of Kosi River Basin, Bihar, India
Received: 25 September 2024 | Revised: 22 October 2024, 15 November 2024, and 02 December 2024 | Accepted: 13 December 2024 | Online: 19 December 2024
Corresponding author: Rakesh Kumar
Abstract
Soil erosion is a pressing global issue, affecting approximately 2.6 billion people across over 100 countries. It occurs from natural processes and human activities such as intensive agriculture and deforestation. In India, the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning estimates that around 146.8 million hectares of soil have been degraded. Preliminary analysis indicates an average soil erosion rate of 16.4 tons per hectare per year, leading to an annual loss of 5.3 billion tons nationwide. The Kosi River, which frequently shifts its course, exacerbates soil erosion issues in Northern Bihar. This study employs the Revised Universal Soil Equation (RUSLE) to estimate soil loss in the Kosi Basin, covering an area of 1,370,873.485 hectares, utilizing a 30-year rainfall dataset from the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). Furthermore, various remote sensing data reveal that 0.20% of the area is at very high risk, while 65.88% is classified as having low to shallow risk for soil erosion. These results intend to guide regional planning and land use management in Bihar, emphasizing the importance of the soil erosion prevention model for effective environmental management.
Keywords:
soil erosion, Arc GIS, RUSLE, Kosi Basin, BiharDownloads
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