SPATIOTEMPORAL ANALYSIS ON SOIL EROSION HAZARD IN GUANG WATERSHED, ATBARA BASIN, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Soil erosion was the major challenge in north western regions of Ethiopia due to conversion of land use land cover change from one type to another type, topographical feature and the status of rain fall and soil condition where anthropogenic factors aggravates its severity undesirability. The s t u d y was conducted in Guang watershed in North Western part of Ethiopia former North Gondar Zone mainly concerned in Chilga and some part of Dembia district where there was high severity of soil erosion hazard facilitated by the change in the management practice and cover type. The aim of this study was to examine the spatiotemporal analysis on soil erosion hazard and prioritization for soil and water conservation in Guang watershed. Two time series satellite imageries (enhanced thematic mapper plus 2008 and 2018) have been utilized for producing cover factor and p factor changes. the input data for generate soil erosion severity and prioritization as well as sediment yield estimation the rain fall data, soil data, digital elevation model data and satellite images in revised universal soil loss equation model. The researcher put the model in connection with geographic information system. Raster calculator was used to calculate soil erosion potential and preparation soil erosion severity maps. The result showed that the potential soil los was range from 0-192.4 ton/ha/yr in the year 2008 and 0 to 242.54 ton/ha/yr, and this is equivalent to 1,254,804 ton in 2008 and, 15,884,956.62 ton in 2018 with sediment delivery ratio of 8.32 t/ha/yr in 2018, and the severity of the watershed was micro watersheds of high severity level micro watersheds of (25,24,21,23,24,3,20,41,26,42,22,29 and14) and Severe micro watersheds of (12 and 11), and the prioritized watershed for soil and water conservation was selected based on severity i.e. higher severity preferred first than other severity. The Socio economic survey by using binary logistic model also showed that dependent variable that was predicted by the independent variable were explained by 89.8 % at a significant at probability level of 1 % (marital status) , and at 5% significant at probability level (gender, tropical livestock unit and off farm)which has positive relations ship to status of conservation except gender and off farm. Therefore, proper lands use planning, physical soil water conservation mechanisms (hill side terraces, stone bund, soil bund and stone faced bund) biological soil water conservation mechanisms (multipurpose trees, cut and carry, grass strips along the terraces and area closure) should be implemented.