Water Erosion Mapping by RUSLE: A Geomatic Approach by GIS and Remote Sensing in the Oued Isser Watershed, Tlemcen, Algeria

Abstract

Prolonged water erosion leads to severe soil degradation, with highly visible scars. Consequently, the quantitative and descriptive estimation by mapping of the phenomenon has become the main objective of a great deal of research. It is this perspective that this study takes, based on the Revised Universal Soil Losses Equation (RUSLE) for a relatively accurate estimate, by integrating Arc‐ GIS tools and remote sensing using high spatial resolution (10 m) image from the Sentinel ‐2A satellite. The model uses data on precipitation, soil, topography and vegetation cover management. The methodological approach taken imple‐ ments this model in order to optimize its use by the various potential users in their planning and decision ‐making studies. An application was carried out in the Oued Isser watershed (Tlemcen, Algeria). Soil loss maps were produced and the results indicate a high variation in soil losses in the study area and show that the highest values are concentrated on steep slopes, hence the great influ‐ ence of the topographic parameter relative to other factors in the model.