Prioritization of erosion prone sub-watersheds using morphometric analysis and RUSLE-based approaches: A case of Hare Watershed, Abaya Chamo Sub-basin, Ethiopia

Soil erosion in the Hare watershed led to significant land degradation, water pollution, and reduced agricultural productivity. Despite its effects, very few researchers have used combined morphometric and RUSLE model techniques to quantify soil erosion and thereby prioritize impacted areas. This work used an automated GIS-based tool (SWPT) to prioritize crucial areas based on topohydrological and morphometric factors and predict soil loss in sub-watersheds using the RUSLE model. Land use/cover data were obtained from Landsat imagery, while slope and morphometric information were extracted from digital elevation data with a resolution of 12.5 m. Soil erodibility was determined using Ethiopian soil maps, and rainfall erosivity was computed using meteorological data. An average annual soil loss of 49 t/ha/year was observed in the Hare watershed. Sub-watershed 11 was found to be the most affected, with an average annual soil loss of 85.12 t/ha/year and a compound parameter value (CPV) of 0.059. Sub-watershed 17 has the least amount of soil loss, with 3.67 t/ha/year and a CPV of 1.32. The study emphasizes the usefulness of integrating RUSLE and morphometric analysis for soil and water conservation planning, suggesting a variety of modeling tools in data-sparse locations to quantify and prioritize erosion-prone areas.