Mapping of water erosion risk by the erosion potential method (EPM) using Sentinel 2 A data: the case of Dades basin, central high Atlas, Morocco

Abstract The present paper has treated the effect of water erosion in the Dades basin, situated in the southern front of Central High Atlas (Morocco). Through the erosion potential method, using satellite data, including, Sentinel-2 A images and SRTM, to assess erosion potential and create a detailed erodibility map that classifies areas based on their vulnerability. The finding shows that 23.6% of the area is classified as having severe erosion, mainly in M’smrir, Tilmi, and Ait Ibrirne villages. About 25% of the area has moderate erosion, particularly between Boumalne and K’Mgouna localities. The moderate erosion class is located between Boumalne and K’Mgouna areas, which covers approximately 25% of the total area. While 51.4% is classified as having low erosion, including the northern parts of Ait Ibrirne, Almdoun, and Bouskour sectors. Based on these results, it is evident that lithological sensitivity is the primordial parameter influencing the spatial distribution of vulnerable areas. Moreover, the dominance of the low degradation class throughout the basin, with a rate that exceeds half of the basin’s area shows, at this scale, that the Dades basin is moderately influenced by water erosion. The results obtained are validated through field investigations, demonstrating the effectiveness of this method as well as that of the Sentinel 2 A image. This study enhances understanding of the water erosion impact and will assist to propose suitable anti-erosion suggestions.