Vol. 9, Issue 3 (2020)

Author(s):
NN Bandgar, BL Ayare, HN Bhange, SS Idate, PR Kolhe and PB Bansode

Abstract:
Soil erosion is a serious problem that seems from a combination of agricultural intensification, soil degradation and intense rainstorms. Erosion may also be exacerbated in the future in many parts of the world because of erotic climatic change results into more vigorous changes in hydrologic cycle. The different management theories, formulae, equations and models have been developed to predict the soil loss from the catchment. In recent decades, models have been built (empirical, conceptual, or physically based) in order to represent and to quantify the processes of detachment, transport, and deposition of eroded soil, with the aim of implementing assessment tools for educational, planning and legislative purposes. Among the different models being used to predict the soil loss along with other important parameters the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) and Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model are being widely used for the purpose therefore Comparative performance of Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) and Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model were used for prediction of soil loss from Karli river catchment. The WEPP model computed soil loss for 7 channels and 18 hill slopes of Karli river catchment. The GeoWEPP model run for Karli river catchment with contributing total area to outlet was 3978.75 ha. The average annual soil loss from hill slopes and channels was found to be 42.89 t/ha/yr and 8.78 t/ha/yr respectively, totally to 51.67 t/ha/yr. The WEPP model also calculated the sediment yield of Karli river catchment that is 17.92 t/ha/yr. The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model predicted the 9.01 t/ha/yr more soil loss than the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was used for estimation of soil loss from the watershed. The different parameters including soil loss and related were determined by using Remote Sensing data and Geographical Information System tools. The predicted soil loss by using USLE in the Karli river catchment was found to be 42.66 t/ha/yr and it is 9.01 t/ha/yr less than predicted by WEPP.