Department of Soil Science and Water Management, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173230.
*Corresponding author.
1Present Address: Agriculture and Soils Division, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, 4-Kalidas Road Dehra Dun, 248001, Uttaranchal.
A study was undertaken to determine the priority categories of sub-watersheds of Kawal Khad based on erosional soil loss using Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and ARC/INFO GIS and to recommend/suggest suitable soil conservation measures. Landuse/landcover, physiography-cum-soilscape information obtained from false colour composite (FCC) of IRS-IC LISS-III imagery and terrain slope information obtained from topographic map and rainfall data were used to provide inputs to USLE model. Average soil loss for each sub-watershed was computed and priority categories were determined. Priority classification indicated that out of 12 sub-watersheds, only one (Ks12) covering 6.34 per cent area registered very high erosion status (57.77 t ha−1) and qualified for the top priority treatment. Three sub-watersheds (Ksl, Ks3 and Ks11) exhibited high soil loss (33.46–40.48 t ha−1) and qualified for the second priority category. Eight sub-watersheds viz., Ks2, Ks4, Ks5, Ks6, Ks7, Ks8, Ks9 and Ks10 having medium average soil loss i.e. 10.23 to 20.45 t ha−1, covering 75.91 per cent area fell in the third category of priority. Important soil conservation measures have been suggested for different mapping units.
Watershed prioritisation, erosional soil loss, GIS techniques
