Estimating Soil Loss and Mapping of Erosion Risk Using the RUSLE Model for Land Use Planning in the Berfeta Watershed, Welmera District, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

Soil Loss means soil relocated on or removed from a given site by the forces of erosion and the redeposit of the soil at another site on land or in a body of water. It is the most serious problem that affects economic development, food security, and ecosystem services, which is the main concern in Ethiopia. In some cases, human activities, especially farming and land clearing, leave soil vulnerable to erosion. This study focused on estimating soil loss and erosion risk mapping of the Berfeta watershed for effective land use planning that can determine the limitation factors of soil loss in sustainable land management. Equation A = R × K × LS × C × P is used in the RUSLE model to estimate soil losses for land use planning that can easily determine the limitation factors of soil loss and mapping erosion risk of the study area.