Contribution of Geomatics in the Quantification of Water Erosion: Application in the Oued Lakhdar (Morocco)

This study presents the results of mapping and quantitatively estimating water erosion in the Oued Lakhdar basin using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS). The Oued Lakhdar basin is situated in the central High Atlas region, covers an area of 1638 km², and is subjected to conditions that accelerate water erosion, including rugged topography, intense precipitation in the mountains, and significant human intervention. The analysis of the USLE results identified four primary levels of erosion: high (15–21 ts/he/yr), medium (10–15 ts/he/yr), low (5–10 ts/he/yr), and very low (0–5 ts/he/yr). This study demonstrates that USLE is a suitable method for estimating soil loss in a basin. The results can contribute to land-use planning and the prevention of water erosion, which is crucial to maintaining the health of ecosystems and communities that rely on agricultural land. Additionally, the results can assist the watershed managers of the Regional Directorate of Water and Forests and the Fight against Desertification of Beni Mellal in reducing the rate of erosion in the Oued Lakhdar basin.