GIS integrated RUSLE model-based soil loss estimation and watershed prioritization for land and water conservation aspects

Land degradation has become one of the major threats throughout globe, affecting about 2.6 billion people in more than 100 countries. The highest rate land is Asia, followed by Africa and Europe. Climate change coupled with anthropogenic activities have accelerated developing nations. In India, affected 105.48 million hectares. Thus, modeling mapping soil loss, assessing vulnerability threat active erosional processes a region are challenges from water conservation aspects. present study attempted rigorous to estimate loss Banas Basin Rajasthan state, using GIS-integrated Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) equation. Priority ranking was computed for different watersheds terms degree their catchments, so that appropriate measures can be implemented. total area basin (68,207.82 km 2 ) systematically separated into 25 ranging 113.0 7626.8 . Rainfall dataset Indian Meteorological Department 30 years (1990–2020), FAO based map characterization, ALOS PALSAR digital elevation model topographic assessment, Sentinal-2 use cover were integrated erosion/loss risk assessment. annual recorded as 21,766,048.8 tons. areas under very low (0–1 t ha -1 year ), (1–5 medium (5–10 high (10–50 extreme (>50 categories 24.2, 66.8, 7.3, 0.9, 0.7%, respectively, whereas respective average values obtained 0.8, 3.0, 6.0, 23.1, 52.0 among range 1.1–84.9 , being (84.9 WS18, WS10 (38.4 SW25 (34.7 WS23 (17.9 it lowest WS8 (1.1 ). WS18 highest/top priority rank considered first planning implementation. quantitative results this would useful implementation problematic controlling through erosion.