Water Erosion Monitoring and Prediction in Response to the Effects of Climate Change Using RUSLE and SWAT Equations: Case of R’Dom Watershed in Morocco

Land

Anas El Ouali¹  Amina Kassou²  Mohammed El Hafyani³  Abdennabi Alitane³  Ali Essahlaoui³  Abdellah El Hmaidi³  Anton Van Rompaey⁴  Celray James Chawanda⁵  Ann van Griensven⁶  Yassine El Yousfi⁷ 

[1] Functional Ecology and Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez BP 262, Morocco;Geo-Resource, Geo-Environment and Oasis Geological Heritage Research Group, Engineering Sciences and Techniques Laboratory, Geosciences Department, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University, Presidency, Marjane 2, Meknes BP 298, Morocco;Geoengineering and Environment Laboratory, Research Group “Water Sciences and Environment Engineering”, Geology Department, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Presidency, Marjane 2, Meknes BP 298, Morocco;Geography and Tourism Research Group, Earth and Environmental Science Department, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium;Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussels (VUB), 1050 Brussels, Belgium;Water Resources and Ecosystems Department, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, 2611 AX Delft, The Netherlands;Water and Environment Management Group, Civil Engineering and Environment Department, National School of Applied Sciences Al Hoceima, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tangier BP 211, Morocco;

关键词: soil erosion;    RUSLE;    SWAT;    classical statistical downscaling model;    remote sensing;    GIS tools;   

DOI  :  10.3390/land11010093

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Soil erosion is an increasingly issue worldwide, due to several factors including climate variations and humans’ activities, especially in Mediterranean ecosystems. Therefore, the aim of this paper is: (i) to quantify and to predict soil erosion rate for the baseline period (2000–2013) and a future period (2014–2027), using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model in the R’Dom watershed in Morocco, based on the opportunities of Remote Sensing (RS) techniques and Geographical Information System (GIS) geospatial tools. (ii) we based on classical statistical downscaling model (SDSM) for rainfall prediction. Due to the lack of field data, the model results are validated by expert knowledge. As a result of this study, it is found that both agricultural lands and bare lands are most affected by soil erosion. Moreover, it is showed that soil erosion in the watershed was dominated by very low and low erosion. Although the area of very low erosion and low erosion continued to decrease. Hence, we hereby envisage that our contribution will provide a more complete understanding of the soil degradation in this study area and the results of this research could be a crucial reference in soil erosion studies and also may serve as a valuable guidance for watershed management strategies.

【 授权许可】

Unknown