Evaluation of Wind Erosion Risk in Abarkouh Plain Using Landsat Satellite Imageries

Wind erosion is one of the problems in arid and semi-arid regions that is associated with the process of detachment and transportation of soil particles by wind. The Wind Erosion Risk Index is a framework for modelling wind erosion that examines the sensitivity of land to wind erosion based on a set of surface and climate thresholds. The purpose of the study is to assess the risk of wind erosion in various geobiofaces at Abarkouh plain, Yazd province, using the WEHI model from 2003 to 2017. Three factors including frequency of erosive winds, percentage of bare land and soil surface moisture were used to run the model. Wind erosion risk map was produced under three categories: low, moderate and severe. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model, aerosol optical depth (AOD) data were used that confirmed the accuracy and significance of the model (α=0.01). The results showed that 107,369 ha of lands in the severe wind erosion category was increased. Wind erosion is widespread in the study area, particularly in the geobiofaces of the salt-lake and saline lands. The risk of wind erosion is reduced only on near-dense farmlands. This may expose the land upstream of the study area to the hazards of salt storms given biological, economic and social threats.