SOIL EROSION SUSCEPTIBILITY MAPPING USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS OF DISTRICT KOHAT, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN

Abstract

Water and air are the major sources of soil erosion occurs which usually cause soils to progressively disappear from its surface. To understand this phenomenon and to efficiently develop a management plan in District Kohat, Pakistan, this research was aimed to map soil erosion susceptibility across the district and to identify the associated factors using geospatial techniques.  Elevation, Slope aspect, curvature, land use, land cover, lithology, soil texture, rainfall, drainage, and roadways were among the characteristics that were the focus of the current study. ALOS, top sheets, land use land cover, the Geological Survey of Pakistan's soil structure map, and Google Earth pictures were some of the sources from which data was gathered for this study. All the layer was reclassified high weightage were given to the high influencing factor and low weightage were given to the low influencing factor. All the reclassified layers were then incorporated in the weighted overlay analysis. According to the study's findings, 4% of soil erosion happened in the District Kohat along center part of the drainage, but some areas saw remapping. This system will generate comprehensive vulnerability maps by utilizing machine learning algorithms, remote sensing techniques, and sophisticated geospatial data. Sustainable land management techniques, conservation programs, and land use planning will all be based on these maps. The produced maps enable erosion prevention and control strategies to be prioritized by giving decision makers access to relevant information. In the end, this project's vulnerability map will be a useful tool for sustainable development, land management, and conservation initiatives.