Soil Erosion Hazard in Errer Dembel Sub-Basin, in Shinille Zone of the Ethiopia Somali Regional State

Human activities disturb the land surface of the earth, and thereby alter natural erosion rates. Errer-dembel sub-basin is located within awash-basin in Shinille zone of the Ethiopia Somali region. Soil erosion hazard and land degradation were comprised from field measurements, survey and investigation of the area were made. Various forms of erosion and land degradation exist in the basin with varying level of severity and extents were found. The types of land degradation observed in the basin include water erosion, wind erosion, soil fertility decline, sedimentation/soil burial, de-vegetation and rock outcrop. the causes to these include poor farming practices, overgrazing in the range lands, clearing of forest for charcoal making and animal feed, forest and bush burning and lack of awareness. A maximum soil loss of 40.80tha-1yr-1 and minimum of 0-3tha-1yr-1 is estimated in the sub-basin. Similarly, the soil loss tolerance limit estimates, indicated high values 7tha-1yr-1 for the high rainfall areas with intensive cultivation, and low values of 1-4tha-1yr-1 in the low rainfall areas in the north of the basin, owing to the prevailing unfavorable conditions involved in soil formation processes.