Comparison of EPM and RUSLE models in estimating erosion and sediment production using GIS (Case study: Chamgardalan watershed of Ilam province)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Saleh Arekhi ¹
• Hossain Barani ²

¹ Associate Professor of Physical Geography, University of Golestan, Gorgan, Iran

² MS.c Student of Environmntal Hazard, University of Golestan, Gorgan, Iran

10.22067/geoeh.2022.75260.1176

Abstract

Soil erosion is one of the most important environmental problems in the world, which has created many problems for human societies. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of erosion using experimental models for estimating erosion and sediment is one of the solutions through which soil erosion can be controlled to some extent and its amount can be minimized. The present study was conducted to compare EPM and RUSLE models in estimating erosion and sediment in Chamgardalan watershed of Ilam province. In this regard, the factors affecting erosion include rain erosivity, soil erodibility, topography, vegetation and soil conservation operations as well as observable erosion coefficients, rock and soil susceptibility to erosion, land use and average slope, used as a percentage used in the mentioned models and finally the amount of erosion and sediment produced was calculated according to the proposed models and compared with the amount observed in the sedimentation station of Chamgardalan watershed. The results show that the estimated sediment rate of RUSLE model was 16.37 tons per hectare per year and in the EPM method was 21.49 tons per hectare per year, which is closer to the estimated value of RUSLE. Observed sediment of 16.58 tons per hectare per year, the efficiency of RUSLE model in estimating sediment in the study area is higher. Finally, it is recommended to use the EPM model for the initial phases of justification, overview and identification studies and RUSLE method for detailed and more accurate studies of erosion and sedimentation of the watershed.

Keywords

• Soil erosion
• Sediment estimation
• RUSLE model
• EPM model
• Cham Gardalan watershed
• Ilam province

Main Subjects

• Soil erosion

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