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Integration of GIS and remote sensing for estimation of soil loss and prioritization of critical sub-catchments: a case study of Tapacurá catchment

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Abstract

Mapping of erosion risk areas is an important tool for the planning of natural resources management, allowing researchers to propose the modification of land use properly and implement more sustainable long-term management strategies. The objective of this study was to assess and identify critical sub-catchments for soil conservation management using the USLE, GIS, and remote sensing techniques. The Tapacurá catchment is one of the planning units for water resource management of the Recife Metropolitan Region. Maps of the erosivity (R), erodibility (K), slope (LS), cover-management (C), and support practice (P) factors were derived from the climate database, digital elevation model, and soil and land-use maps. In order to validate the simulation process, total sediment delivery ratio was estimated. The results showed a mean sediment delivery ratio (SDR) of around 11.5 % and a calculated mean sediment yield of 0.108 t ha−1 year−1, which is close to the observed one, 0.169 t ha−1 year−1. The obtained soil loss map could be considered as a useful tool for environmental monitoring and water resources management. The methodology applied showed acceptable precision and allowed the identification of the most susceptible areas to soil erosion by water, constituting an important predictive tool for soil and environmental management in this region, which is highly relevant for the prediction of varying development scenarios for Tapacurá catchment. This approach can be applied to other areas for simple and reliable identification of critical areas of soil erosion in catchments.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are supported by CNPq, FACEPE, and MCT/CT-HIDRO/FINEP. ANA (Brazilian National Water Agency) is acknowledged for providing the database.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, 58051-900, Brazil

    Richarde Marques da Silva

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Water Resources Research Group, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Acadêmico Hélio Ramos, s/n, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, 50741-530, Brazil

    Suzana Maria Gico Lima Montenegro

  3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, 58051-900, Brazil

    Celso Augusto Guimarães Santos

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  1. Richarde Marques da Silva
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  2. Suzana Maria Gico Lima Montenegro
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  3. Celso Augusto Guimarães Santos
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Correspondence to Celso Augusto Guimarães Santos.

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da Silva, R.M., Montenegro, S.M.G.L. & Santos, C.A.G. Integration of GIS and remote sensing for estimation of soil loss and prioritization of critical sub-catchments: a case study of Tapacurá catchment. Nat Hazards 62, 953–970 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-012-0128-2

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