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GIS-Based MCDA Model to Map Soil Erosion Hotspot Area in Case Study of Temi Watershed in Hulet Ejju Enesie Woreda, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

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Abstract

The development of Ethiopia is greatly affected by soil erosion and land degradation, which are exacerbated by the rugged and steep slopes in the region. To address this issue, the GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) model was utilized to map the erosion hotspots in the Temi watershed. The model took into account various factors such as land use, soil type, topographic wetness index, potential gully locations, and stream power index. The weighted overlay tool of the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst Toolbox was employed to generate the soil erosion hotspot map, which was weighted using pairwise comparisons of the aforementioned factors. The results showed that 12.17% of the watershed was extremely sensitive to soil erosion, 65.7% was moderately sensitive, and 22.13% was slightly sensitive. The validation and field observations revealed that MCDA outperformed the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in terms of accuracy. The study also highlighted that while the overall soil erosion risk in the Temi watershed was moderate, the cultivated bottomlands were particularly vulnerable. The findings of this study can serve as a crucial resource for decision-makers in identifying vulnerable lands and implementing biophysically appropriate management practices for the Ethiopian highlands within the Temi watershed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Water Resources and Irrigation Engineering, Institute of Technology, Woldia University, P.O.Box 400, Woldia, Ethiopia

    Gashaw Sintayehu & Kefale Munye

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  1. Gashaw Sintayehu
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  2. Kefale Munye
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Mr. Gashaw participates in this research by drafting, writing, and editing the research. Mr. Kefale participates in data collection, data analysis, and editing of the research.

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Correspondence to Gashaw Sintayehu.

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Sintayehu, G., Munye, K. GIS-Based MCDA Model to Map Soil Erosion Hotspot Area in Case Study of Temi Watershed in Hulet Ejju Enesie Woreda, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. Water Conserv Sci Eng 8, 46 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41101-023-00217-9

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