Using GIS-based distributed soil loss modeling and morphometric analysis to prioritize watershed for soil conservation in Bago river basin of Lower Myanmar

Abstract

Bago River is an important river in Myanmar. Although shorter than other rivers, it has its own river system, and people along the river rely heavily on it for their daily lives. The upper part of the watershed has changed rapidly from closed forest to open forest land in the 1990s. Since the recent degradation of the forest environment, annual flooding has become worse during the rainy season in Bago City. This paper aims at determining soil conservation prioritization of watershed based on soil loss due to erosion and morphometric analysis in the Bago Watershed by integrating remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. In this study, soil erosion of the Bago watershed was determined using the Universal Soil Loss Equation. Such factor maps as rainfall, soil erodibility, slope length gradient, and crop management were compiled as input parameters for the modeling; and the soil loss from 26 sub-watersheds were estimated. Then, the soil erosion maps of the Bago watershed for 2005 were developed. The resulting Soil Loss Tolerance Map could be utilized in developing watershed management planning, forestry management planning, etc.

A Remote Sensing and GIS Approach for Prioritization of Wadi Shueib Mini-Watersheds (Central Jordan) Based on Morphometric and Soil Erosion Susceptibility Analysis

“…Other studies employed morphometric analysis and land use/land cover parameters [19] [20]. By contrast, one investigation utilized morphometric indices and soil loss estimation based on the USLE model [18] in Bago River Basin, Myanmar. Chaudhary and Sharma [23], and Patel et al [21] conducted prioritization studies based only on morphometric analysis.…”

Morphometric Assessment of Wadi Wala Watershed, Southern Jordan Using ASTER (DEM) and GIS

“…Geomorphometric properties are also essential for proper utilization of land and water resources of a catchment for optimum production with minimal environmental hazards (i.e. severe soil erosion, high sediment yield rates, landslide activity and flooding)to protect the people who live across the catchment, or in occupied areas near the outlet of a watershed [3] [4] [5] [6]. Morphometry refers to the measurement and evaluation of the configuration of the earth's surface, including the shape and dimensions of its landforms, and different aspects of drainage basins [7].…”

“…Assessment of geo-environmental hazards especially flash floods was carried out for arid watersheds which occasionally threaten small and large areas of human settlement [14]- [21]. Watershed prioritization for soil and water conservation, and site selection for water harvesting, were conducted recently based on morphometric analysis, sediment yield estimation, land use/cover, and soil erosion modeling using GIS and remote sensing [4] [6] [22]- [27]. Other applications of morphometric analysis have been conducted worldwide such as: studying the imprints of Quaternary active tectonics over structures and drainage basins [28] [29] [30] [31] [32], tectonic control on Y. Farhan geomorphic processes in shaping drainage networks [33], and landslides coupled with their triggering mechanisms [34].…”

Morphometric analysis of river basins using GIS and remote sensing of an Andean section of Route 150, Argentina. A comparison between manual and automated delineation of basins

“…Some recent examples are: Topaloglu, 2002;Moussa, 2003;Sreedevi et al, 2004Sreedevi et al, , 2013Srinivasa Vittala et al, 2004;Mesa, 2006;Esper Angillieri, 2008, 2012Perucca and Esper Angillieri, 2011. Recent studies using digital GIS-derived basin are: Verstappen, 1983;Rinaldo et al, 1998;Farr and Kobrick, 2000;Macka, 2001;Grohmann, 2004;Gangalakunta, 2004;Godchild and Haining 2004;Grohmann et al, 2007;Korkalainen et al, 2007;Yu and Wei, 2008;Hlaing et al, 2008;Ozdemir and Bird, 2009;Panhalkar, 2014. In addition, studies that compare delineation methods are: Stanton, 2001;Baker et al, 2006.…”