Measuring and modelling the impacts of soil and water conservation
measures on soil erosion and sediment yield in North-Western Ethiopian
highlands
Abstract
Although large-scale implementation of SWC measures has been used to
reduce soil loss and sedimentation in Ethiopian highlands, no method
exists to evaluate how implementation of such measures affect erosion
and sedimentary processes. In this study we measured and simulated the
impacts of various SWC measures on soil loss and sediment yield using
spatially distributed WATEM/SEDEM model calibrated at three
sub-watersheds. The methods used comprised of field sampling and
monitoring to characterize erosion and sediment yields and GIS analysis
to calculate various model input parameters. The measurement and model
simulation result showed all SWC scenarios reduced soil erosion and
sediment yield and bund structures have reduced erosion by more than 57
to 65%. The integrated use of bund structures, contour cultivation,
strip cropping and grass strips (scenario IV), sediment yield was
reduced from 44.5 to 8.6 t ha-1 y-1, 30.7 to 5.3 t ha-1 y-1 and 36.6 to
6.3 t ha-1 y-1 in the upper, middle and lower part of Koga catchment
respectively. Bund structures and grass strips had the highest specific
contribution in controlling soil erosion and sediment yield in both
study sub-watersheds. The measured and simulated erosion and sediment
yield values were relatively lower at the middle of Koga for scenario I
(present-day situation). This might be due to the lower transport
capacity and lower sediment connectivity as a result of larger coverage
of bunds and subordinate conservation measures such as: traditional
diches and diversion channels in Debreyakob. This emphasises the
importance of integrated use of conservation strategy to reduce soil
erosion and sediment delivery. The calibration of WATEM/SEDEM at
sub-watershed level has provided good model performance for measured and
simulated erosion and sediment yields. Therefore, WATEM/SEDEM
representing the underlying erosion and sedimentary processes can
further be used to evaluate the impacts of land use and existing or new
SWC scenarios.