Abstract:
The rate of soil erosion is sever in the highlands of Ethiopia. Identification of hot-spot areas of
erosion and prioritizing areas of intervention is extremely important for reducing further
degradation, reclaiming the degraded areas and improving the land productivity of the
watershed. The objective of this study was to estimate soil loss rates inEl-bahay watershed of
Wabe shabelle River Basin. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) integrated with
satellite remote sensing and geographical Information system (GIS) as a useful tool for
conservation planning was used. Mean annual precipitation, soil map, a 30 m digital elevation
model, land use land cover and management map, land use types and slope length and slope
steepness were used to determine the RUSLE values.From 47,989.80 hectors of the watershed
area, a 603,082.83 metric tons per year of soil loss ofwas found which ranged from very high
soil loss (45.78 t/ha/yr.) to low soil loss 9.81 t/ha/yr. the average annual soil loss of the
watershed is12.66 t/ha/yr.The watershed has a range of the erosion severity classes of sever,
very highand high soil categories. These sub watersheds, namely SW11, SW1, SW2, SW4, SW20
and SW7 wereconsidered as more critical than the othersand hence, priority intervention were
recommended to adopt the management measures in order to reduce the soil loss, to minimize
siting up and to safeguardthe -Earthen Dam which is located at the outlet of the watershed.
