Abstract
Soil erosion and soil conservation have been major issues in Tanzania as it has been the case of many other tropical countries. Policy makers have identified soil erosion as a critical problem since the 1920s. However, it has been difficult to obtain reliable data on the type, extent, and current rates of soil erosion and sedimentation. The limitation of such information has delayed the current and future interventions for soil and water conservation in critical areas throughout Tanzania. The main objective of this study was to test the sediment prediction capability of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model on tropical watersheds and also identify erosion hotspot areas. Simulation of this initial study in Tanzania focused on secondary data. There was insufficient information about on-site soil properties, daily rainfall and temperature records, and initial condition of land use/cover data to define crop/plant growth and tillage practices. Runoff also varied with soil type in all four watersheds. The highest and lowest total average annual soil loss rate was estimated in Mfizigo Juu, 45.09 kg/m2 and Kibungo chini, 0.45 kg/m2, respectively. The cultivated land contributed to more than 81 % of soil loss and 86 % of sediment yield in all four scenarios. The overall spatial result maps indicated WEPP model can help water resources managers to implement necessary precaution measures to prevent sediment yield and soil erosion.
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Acknowledgment
This study was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Tanzania for funding the study under the Leadership Training Program (LTP) at Florida International University (FIU), USA. The authors would like to acknowledge Prof. Mahadev Bhat and Prof. Krish Jayachadran for their guidance, encouragement, advice, and support during the study. Finally, special recognition goes to the Tanzania IntegratedWater, Sanitation, and Hygiene (iWASH) Program,Wami-Ruvu basin/Tanzania, and Morogoro District Council/Tanzania for their support in using their office equipment and technical assistance during site selection as well as data collection during the entire study period.
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Msaghaa, J., Melesse, A., Ndomba, P. (2014). Modeling Sediment Dynamics: Effect of Land Use, Topography, and Land Management in the Wami-Ruvu Basin, Tanzania. In: Melesse, A., Abtew, W., Setegn, S. (eds) Nile River Basin. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02720-3_10
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