Assessment of soil erosion and sediment transport index in the Awash River Basin, Ethiopia: an application of the USLE model and GIS techniques

In the fight against soil erosion, Ethiopia has a formidable obstacle. The Awash River Basin issue is addressed in this paper. Soil loss and the sediment transport index (STI) in the Awash River Basin were predicted using GIS and the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) Model. Using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) in conjunction with Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies, this study evaluates the spatial distribution and intensity of soil erosion in the basin. The result of annual average soil loss shows a significant range from 0–31,049,739 t/h/y after analyzing of various soil, DEM, topographical and meteorological data, obtained from USGS and EMA. The broader implications of this finding are highlights the significant capacity of land management potential in study area. The result of sediment transport index which computed based on flow accumulation and slope gradients, ranges from 0–247,097. The finding stipulates that considerable increment of soil loss and sedimentation in the study area, and promote for implementing reforestation and contour farming, to mitigate potential erosion’s impact. Hence, sustainable erosion mitigation strategies in the upper part of the basin should to be considered. Furthermore, this study emphasizes how important land use patterns, erodibility of soil, and erosivity of rainfall are associate in exacerbating of erosion. This information is significant for conservation and the development of sustainable agricultural frameworks. In portions of the study Basin that are prone to soil loss and sediment deposition, sustainable erosion management measures according to topography and current land use types are strongly recommended.