Effect of different land- use management scenarios on soil erosion using USLE model in Kalaybarchay watershed

Soil erosion is one of the environmental problems which can be considered as a threat for natural resources, agriculture and the environment. Thus, determining the temporal and spatial extent of soil erosion is an effective way to management of soil erosion and sediment control through watershed management. Todays, the misuse of lands and converting forests and grasslands into agricultural land, overgrazing, tillage on steep slopes leads to increase soil erosion and sediment yield. Therefore, defining the contribution of different land uses has a significant role in preventing erosion and prioritization of land management activities The objective of this study is to estimate and compare the rate of soil erosion in in different land uses on the current status and prediction of erosion in Two main scenarios and each mail scenario has three sub-scenarios (25, 50 and 75 percent of area) at KalaybarChay watershed with an area of 452 km2 in the province of East Azerbaijan using USLE model. To predict the foregoing, land use map was prepared Using Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and TM Sensor of satellite image Landsat5 on the ENVI 4.3 software. After the preparation of USLE model factors includes R, K, LS, C and P model was performed and mean value of each factor was calculated and soil erosion map was prepared by multiplying the average values. Results showed that the average amount of soil erosion rate is 12.3 (ton/ha/yr). Also the highest and least rate of erosion is assigned on conversion of rangeland to dry farming scenario; and the rangeland to tree dryland scenario equal to 15.43 and 9.03 (ton/ha/yr), respectively.