SOIL EROSION ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION SCENARIOS IN THE WAY SEKAMPUNG DAM CATCHMENT AREA, INDONESIA

Soil erosion in dam catchment areas poses a serious threat to watershed sustainability and reservoir performance. This study assessed erosion characteristics and conservation scenarios in the Way Sekampung Dam catchment area, Lampung Province. Soil erosion was estimated using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) by integrating rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope, land cover, and conservation practices in a GIS environment. The results show that the existing average erosion rate reached 141.55 ton ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, far exceeding the tolerable soil loss (38.7 ton ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), with very high erosion risks dominating the watershed. Conservation-based development scenarios significantly reduced erosion, with the integrated conservation scenario achieving the lowest rate (19.9 ton ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). These findings highlight the importance of sustainable watershed management to reduce erosion, prolong reservoir service life, and support water availability and food security.