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International Journal of Chemical Studies 2017; 5(1): 253-258 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2017; 5(1): 253-258 Soil erosion estimation using usle factors of © 2017 JEZS Received: 25-11-2016 mustur micro-watershed in Yadagir district, Accepted: 27-12-2016 Karnataka Thimmana Gowda M. Sc(Agri) Scholor, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Thimmana Gowda, S Patil, Bellakki MA, Narayan Rao K, Rajesh NL, Chemistry, Agriculture College, Srinivasa Reddy GV and Vidyavati GY UAS, Raichur, Karnataka, India S Patil Abstract M. Sc(Agri) Scholor, Department A study was undertaken to evaluate eight soil series belonging to Mustur micro watershed (Yadgir of Soil Science and Agricultural district) in North Eastern Dry Zone of Karnataka for soil erosion estimation using USLE model. Eight Chemistry, Agriculture College, soil series were tentatively identified and mapped into twelve mapping units using GIS technique. These UAS, Raichur, Karnataka, India mapping units were grouped into soil erosion ratings as low, medium and high with the help of rainfall pattern and rainfall erosivity factor (R factor), Erodibility factor (K factor), Slope length and steepness Bellakki MA factor (LS factor), Crop cover and conservation practice factor (C and P factor). Soil loss in different Assistant Professor, Agriculture mapping units ranged from 3.41 to 25.24 presented in table 3. BMAkC(A)1, KLUmB(A)1, KLUmC(A)1, College, Bheemarayanagudi, KLUmB2, PGLmB2, MSTcB2, KLRmB2, SHTcB2, SHTcC2, HSLbB2, HSLbC2 and KKRcC2 Karnataka, India recorded the soil loss of 6.77, 3.41, 6.56, 15.02, 11.95, 12.40, 13.99, 12.81, 21.06, 15.07, 23.52 and 25.24 -1 -1 Narayan Rao K t ha yr respectively. Lower rate of soil loss was recorded in BMAkC(A)1, KLUmB(A)1 and HOD, Department of Soil KLUmC(A)1 mapping units. Moderate soil loss was recorded in KLUmB2, PGLmB2, MSTcB2, Science and Agricultural KLRmB2, SHTcB2 and HSLbB2 mapping units and SHTcC2, HSLbC2 and KKRcC2 mapping units Chemistry, UAS, Raichur, were recorded high. Karnataka, India Keywords: Soil erosion, rainfall erosivity factor, Erodibility factor Rajesh NL Assistant Professor, Agriculture 1. Introduction College, Raichur, Karnataka, India Land and soil are the vital natural resources for the survival of life on the earth. The natural resources assessment is the prerequisite for the assessment of productivity of land and the Srinivasa Reddy GV sustainability of the ecosystem. Land is a limited resource having competing demands. Man Assistant Professor, College of has been persistently recycling on the land for his sustenance: for food, clothing, shelter, fuel, Agricultural Engineering, fodder and energy requirements. The biggest challenge to the mankind today is to produce the Raichur, Karnataka, India basic necessities of life from the ever shrinking land resources. The land resources are under Vidyavati GY severe strain due to the pressure of the growing population and competing demands of the Assistant Professor, Agriculture various land uses. In reality most of the arable lands are degraded, water resources are College, Bheemarayanagudi, depleting and the degrading land resources at an alarming rate has not only rendered the Karnataka, India enhanced stability of production questionable but also causing numerous environmental problems. Soil is a vital natural resource on whose proper use depends on the life supporting system of a country and the socio-economic development of its people. Soils provide food, fodder and fuel for meeting the basic needs of human and animal. With the growth in human and animal population, demand for more food production is on the increase. However, the capacity of the soil to produce is limited and limits to production are set by intrinsic characteristics, agro- ecological setting, use and management. This demands systematic appraisal of our soil resources with respect to their extent, distribution, characteristic, behaviour and use potential, which is very important for developing an effective land use system for augmenting agricultural production on sustainable basis. Correspondence Soil erosion is the detachment, transportation and deposition of material from one place to Thimmana Gowda another through the action of wind or water. Soil erosion, for whatever cause, destroys man- M. Sc (Agri) Scholor, made structures, fills reservoirs, lakes and rivers with washed soil sediment and dramatically Department of Soil Science and damages the land. Eroded sediment is the richest part of the soil, the nutritive top soil Agricultural Chemistry, containing most of the organic matter. Soil loss calculations provide important information Agriculture College, UAS, Raichur, Karnataka, India because losing soil means losing expensive nutrients. ~ 253 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies Soil degradation is influenced by land use, soil management 3. Results and Discussion and soil susceptibility to degradation processes. The need to 3.1 Rain fall pattern and Rain fall erosivity factor maintain sustainable use of these lands requires that these The highest total rainfall of 1073.3mm and least total rainfall ought to be monitored for the onset of land degradation so of 727.6mm were received during the year 2010 and 2006 that the problem may be addressed during early stages. In respectively (Table 2). The rainfall erosivity was ranged from order to develop technologies to combat with the problem, it 503.4 MJ ha-1mm-1h-1 to 982.8 MJ ha-1mm-1h-1, with the is imperative to know the extent and degree of land highest annual rainfall erosivity was recorded in the year 2008 degradation. Effect of land use systems on soil properties and was lowest in the year 2006, which was resulted from provides an opportunity to evaluate sustainability of land use rainfall effect during these years compared within (2005 to system and thus the basic process of soil degradation in 2014) 10 years of annual rainfall with mean rainfall erosivity relation to land use. Further, quantification of soil erosion were 625.08 MJ ha-1mm-1h-1. There was close correlation under various sub watersheds will help to prioritize soil between the rainfall characteristics and soil loss, and an conservation planning, which is expected to support effective increase in rainfall amount is generally accompanied by an natural resource conservation and sustainable development. increase in soil loss (Dabral et al., 2008) [2]. The Yadgir district with a geographical area of 5234 sq. km, Over the year’s highest rainfall was received during the located in the Northern part of the state with three taluks monsoon season (June to September) and followed by post namely Shahapur, Shorapur and Yadgir. It lies between 16° monsoon season (October and November). It might be due to 20' to 17° 45' North Latitude and 76° 04' to 77° 42' East heavy rainfall during these months contributed by the south Longitude. It comprises of both red and black soils differing west monsoon forms 65 per cent of the annual rainfall. The in their morphological, physical and chemical characteristics. highest and lowest monthly rainfall of 360 mm and 0.3 mm The district recorded about 310.5 thousand hectares of net was received during 2010 (July) and 2010 (February) sown area during 2008-09 and forest occupied 34 thousand respectively. hectares. The total land not available for cultivation is about Rainfall erosivity is concerned monsoon and post monsoon 28 thousand hectares like non agricultural, barren etc. and seasons were the most important contributor of water for the other un-cultivable land is about 0.8 thousand hectares plant growth and also soil was more prone to erosion. The (Anonymous, 2009) [1]. distribution of erosion index values clearly indicated that most Keeping these considerations in view, a detailed soil resource of the erosive rain occurs during south west monsoon period inventory at 1:8,000 scale will be carried out for Mustur in the micro-watershed. The effect of rainfall erosivity that micro watershed in Yadgir district to estimate soil erosion monsoon and post monsoon season poses erosivity risk in the using USLE factors. area. These results were in conformity with Ram Babu et al. (2004) [5] and Denis et al. (2014). 2. Material and Methods Mustur micro watershed is located in Yadgir taluk of Yadgir 3.2 Erodibility factor (K factor) district, Karnataka and having total area of 666.86 hectares The soil erodibility depends primarily on the physical lies between 77°10' 16.68” N latitude and 16° 40' 23.37” E characteristics of the soils viz., nature and amount of soil longitudes (Fig. 1). Study area is characterized by granites aggregates, organic matter content and particle size and gneiss complex, belong to Archaean period. The study distribution. These physical characteristics of soils are much area includes eight soil serieses with twelve mapping units affected by the land use ie., Cultivated soils were more prone (Fig. 2). The elevation of the area ranges from 350 to 370 m to erosion than forest and grasslands. In this study soil above MSL. The slope in the Mustur micro watershed area is erodibility was estimated based on the characteristics of the varied from very gently sloping to gently sloping (1-5 %). soils using the following formula developed by Wischmer and The slopes are having NW-E aspects. Based on the general Smith (1978) [11]. Soils having higher K factor values are slope, the area can be broadly classified into upland, low land highly susceptible and low value are more prone to erosion. and river/stream banks. Semi-arid climate prevails on Mustur The soil erodibility of the micro-watershed ranged from 0.23 micro-watershed and it belongs to north eastern dry zone of to 0.29 (Reshma and Uday 2012) [7]. K factors have been Karnataka state. Mean maximum and minimum temperatures reported by Satisha, (2008) that soils originated from granite are 33.24 °C and 21.50 °C, respectively.

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