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Water-Borne Erosion Estimation Using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) Model Over a Semiarid Watershed: Case Study of Meskiana Catchment, Algerian-Tunisian Border

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Abstract

Soil erosion is one of the major environmental problems in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Favoured by the harmful effects of climate change, and intensified by heavy rainstorms, droughts, runoff, soil features, and land cover; the Meskiana catchment, NE Algeria suffers hugely from this hazard. The main purpose of the present study is to adapt the RUSLE model to map the spatial distribution of soil erosion susceptibility in dry climate watershed based on the geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technique. The model considers erosivity (R), topography (LS), erodibility (K), cover management (C), and support practice (P) as the main predisposing and triggering parameters of the phenomenon. For data processing, slopes, precipitations, lithofacies, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), drainage density, and land use were integrated. Some parameters of the model were estimated using RS data and the erosion susceptibility was mapped using GIS. The results showed that the annual soil loss is about 61 t/ha/year in the entire study area, and identified the most heavily eroded areas, requiring immediate action. The compilation of GIS-RS geospatial technologies with field survey made it possible to assess the spatial variation of soil erosion quantitatively and rapidly. It can assist managers in the implementation of land degradation mitigation program with low-costs and enhanced accuracies.

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Acknowledgements

This work was overseen by the International Association of Water Resources in the Southern Mediterranean Basin-Tunisia and the Emerging Materials Research Unit, University of Ferhat Abbas, Setif, Algeria. The authors are indebted to the Laboratory of Applied Research in Engineering Geology, Geotechnics, Water Sciences, and Environment, Setif 1 University, Algeria. Acknowledgments to the General Directorate of Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT-MESRS) for the technical support. Tribute to the editor and reviewers for their valuable improvement on the manuscript.

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The authors declare and confirm that no exist any sources of funding (institutional, private, and corporate financial support) for the work reported in this paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, Institute of Architecture and Earth Sciences, University of Ferhat Abbas, Setif, Algeria

    Anissa Mahleb, Riheb Hadji, Farid Zahri & Abdelmohcen Chibani

  2. Laboratory of Applied Research in Engineering Geology, Geotechnics, Water Sciences, and Environment, Setif 1 University, Setif, Algeria

    Riheb Hadji & Farid Zahri

  3. Emerging Materials Research Unit, University of Ferhat Abbas, Setif, Algeria

    Anissa Mahleb & Abdelmohcen Chibani

  4. Water and Environment Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences and Universe, Larbi Tebessi Tebessa University, Tebessa, Algeria

    Rania Boudjellal

  5. Faculty of Sciences of Gafsa, University of Gafsa, Gafsa, Tunisia

    Younes Hamed

  6. Laboratory for the Application of Materials to the Environment, Water and Energy (LAMEEE), City Campus Sidi Ahmed Zarroug, 2112, Gafsa, Tunisia

    Younes Hamed

  7. International Association of Water Resources in the Southern Mediterranean Basin, Gafsa, Tunisia

    Riheb Hadji, Farid Zahri & Younes Hamed

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  1. Anissa Mahleb
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Correspondence to Riheb Hadji.

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Mahleb, A., Hadji, R., Zahri, F. et al. Water-Borne Erosion Estimation Using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) Model Over a Semiarid Watershed: Case Study of Meskiana Catchment, Algerian-Tunisian Border. Geotech Geol Eng 40, 4217–4230 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-022-02152-3

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