Soil erosion analysis in a small forested catchment supported by ArcGIS Model Builder

authored by

Péter Csáfordi, Andrea Podör, Jan Bug, Zoltán Gribovszki

Abstract

To implement the analysis of soil erosion with the USLE in a GIS environment, a new workflow has been developed with the ArcGIS Model Builder. The aim of this four-part framework is to accelerate data processing and to ensure comparability of soil erosion risk maps. The first submodel generates the stream network with connected catchments, computes slope conditions and the LS factor in USLE based on the DEM. The second submodel integrates stream lines, roads, catchment boundaries, land cover, land use, and soil maps. This combined dataset is the basis for the preparation of other USLE-factors. The third submodel estimates soil loss, and creates zonal statistics of soil erosion. The fourth submodel classifies soil loss into categories enabling the comparison of modelled and observed soil erosion. The framework was applied in a small forested catchment in Hungary. Although there is significant deviation between the erosion of different land covers, the predicted specific soil loss does not increase above the tolerance limit in any area unit. The predicted surface soil erosion in forest subcompartments mostly depends on the slope conditions.

Organisation(s)

Institute of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology
Physical Geography Group

External Organisation(s)

University of West-Hungary

Type

Article

Journal

Acta Silvatica et Lignaria Hungarica

Volume

8

Pages

39-56

No. of pages

18

ISSN

1786-691X

Publication date

2012

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Forestry

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 15 - Life on Land

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.2478/v10303-012-0004-5 (Access: Open)