Quantifying Soil Erosion in Drought-Impacted Central Odisha, India, through Geospatial Mapping with RUSLE

Soil degradation in Odisha poses a significant conservation concern for the local environment. The present research focused on a region in central Odisha State, India, affected by drought conditions. Several models have emerged to assess soil loss, with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) standing out as the most suitable option. The erosion computation process entails utilizing the digital elevation model (DEM), Landsat-9 imagery, and soil data from several sources accessible in different forms and scales. The present analysis took into account various elements, namely, crop management factor (C), practice management factor (P), slope length factor (LS), steepness factor of the slope (S), and rainfall factor (R). Multiplying these factors yielded the average rate of soil erosion. Areas with a high slope length factor, such as those in Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nuapada, have a high erosion rate. The study reveals that 57% of the land in the study area experiences very low to moderate soil erosion at a rate of 2–10 tons per hectare per year, while 43% faces moderately to very severe erosion at a rate of 10–25 tons per hectare per year. Erosion hotspots, covering 32,205 square kilometers, are mainly identified in agricultural and forested hilly areas where slopes exceed 10°, such as those in Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Nuapada, which have a high erosion rate. These districts are especially vulnerable to soil loss and resulting climate action (Sustainable Development Goals-13) because of frequent and severe rainfall, shifting agricultural practices, a thin surface soil covering, natural erosion, and barren hills. The research emphasizes the urgent need for implementing conservation and management measures to protect high-risk areas from further degradation. In conclusion, the study underscores the effectiveness of the RUSLE-GIS model in conducting quantitative and spatial assessments of soil erosion on a river watershed scale. The model is deemed crucial in formulating conservation strategies to address the identified erosion issues in the tropical highlands of the area.