Spatialisation of Soil Erosion Susceptibility Using USLE Model

In this paper, we are use the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) model and we are adopted in a Geographical Information System framework. The Digital Elevation Model, terrain parameters, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and rainfall data are used as inputs to the model. Along with the application of remote sensing techniques and ground survey measurements, erosion susceptibility maps are produced. The model is then used to obtain the optimal estimate of soil erosion susceptibility in the watershed Fergoug in Algeria. The soil loss estimated from the USLE model shows a large spatial variance, ranging from 5 to as much as 5000 ton ha1 yr1. The high erosion susceptible area constitutes about 34,16 % of the total erosion area and 23,95% the low degradation. These results show that the intensity of erosion and sediment loads mainly products vary according to soil the current occupation and the nature of the land and slopes. The land cover type is characterized by 38,37 % of “grass” followed by 25,51% ” annual vegetation” and only 24,20% “mixture of shrubs and trees”, with” bare soil” having the percentage of 11,92%. In terms of slope types, very steep slope belongs to high susceptibility, whereas flat slope indicating that flat topography has little effect on the erosion hazard.