Rawan Khatib (1*), Bouchra Ali(2) and Wadieh Khoury(2)
(1). Scientific Agricultural Research Center in Aleppo, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR). Aleppo , Syria.
(2).Department of Natural Resources Renewable and Environment, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Eng. Rawan Khatib. E-Mail: rrr93rawan@gmail.com)
Received: 14/05/2020 Accepted: 20/07/2020
Abstract
The soil water erosion risk is one of the most important problems and challenges facing the agricultural process in the Syrian coast today. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial distribution of dangerous areas of water erosion in the basin of the Mrqyieh River using CORINE model. To achieve this objective, the first phase of the study was to evaluate the soil erosion viability based on soil characteristics (soil texture, soil depth and percentage of stones); these properties were classified according to their influence degree on soil erosion. The potential risk erosion map was based on crossing all information obtained from soil erodibility, erosivity index and the degree of slope at study area by using GIS technologies. The land cover map of the study was produced and classified to two classes depending on soil protection degree. Then, an actual risk map of soil erosion was prepared after crossing land cover and potential risk erosion classes of study sites. This study showed that 14.8% of the studied area facing high risk of soil erosion, while the soil risk was moderate in 40.4% and low in 44.8% of the study area. The highly risked erosion area was located in the center, northern and northwest parts of the study area. Moreover, the study confirmed that the land cover is the most influential factor on soil water erosion. The results showed that the Corine model for soil water erosion mapping is a highly effective and cost-effective approach.
Keyword: Risk Water Erosion, Geographic information System, Mrqyieh River, Corine Methodology.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF