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Heavy seasonal rainfall in Eritrea generates substantial runoff, accelerating topsoil loss, particularly on deforested and poorly managed slopes. This study evaluates and maps the soil erosion risk in the Tsmieti catchment, within Nuès Zoba (sub-region) of Adi Quala, using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results indicated that annual soil loss ranges from 0 to 78 t ha−1 yr−1, with a mean of 13.56 t ha−1 yr−1. Approximately 34% of the catchment exceeds the tolerable erosion limit (11 t ha−1 yr−1). High (11–17 t ha−1 yr−1), very high (17–36 t ha−1 yr−1), and extreme (>36 t ha−1 yr−1) erosion classes account for 9%, 15%, and 10% of the area, respectively. Cropland constitutes the largest area subjected to elevated erosion rates, accounting for 17.85%. Class-wise, grazing and degraded bare lands are facing erosion rates exceeding the tolerable limit in over half of their respective areas. Slope gradient exerts a dominant influence on soil erosion rates, whereas rainfall exhibits no clear spatial pattern, suggesting localized spatial variability. The results provide an erosion risk map for prioritizing conservation measures, facilitating targeted land management interventions, and supporting resource planning in the Tsmieti catchment.
Gebreyesus et al. (Fri,) studied this question.