IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i20p9008-d1501114.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Morphometric and Soil Erosion Characterization Based on Geospatial Analysis and Drainage Basin Prioritization of the Rabigh Area Along the Eastern Red Sea Coastal Plain, Saudi Arabia

Author

Listed:
  • Bashar Bashir

    (Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abdullah Alsalman

    (Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Soil erosion is one of the most significant problems in global environmental development. Assigning, analyzing, and quantifying the main physical characteristics of drainage basins are powerful keys in identifying regions where there is a higher risk of soil erosion and where prompt mitigation actions are needed. Drainage basins and their drainage systems are ideally defined using the analysis morphometric parameters and their quantitative description. The present study aims to analyze morphometric parameters to prioritize drainage basins that are prone to erosion. Topographic sheets and remotely sensed digital elevation model (DEM) datasets have been prepared and analyzed using geospatial techniques to delineate drainage basins of different sizes and extract different ordered drainage systems. Based on the analysis of morphometric parameters, the Rabigh area was divided into 12 drainage basins, which significantly contribute to determining soil erosion priority levels. The present study selected and applied the most effective morphometric parameters to rank and prioritize the drainage basins of the study area after considering the crucial quantitative characteristics, such as linear, relief, and areal aspects. For each single basin, the compound factor was assigned from several morphometric parameters and applied to rank the Rabigh area. The results confirm that Basins 1, 4, 11, and 12 require a high level of soil erosion priority over an area of 2107 km 2 ; however, Basins 3, 8, 9, and 10 have little degradation and a low level of soil erosion priority. Therefore, in the regions where high soil erosion is a factor, mitigation techniques such as terracing, filter strips, contouring, and other effective and useful structural and non-structural methods should be applied.

Suggested Citation

  • Bashar Bashir & Abdullah Alsalman, 2024. "Morphometric and Soil Erosion Characterization Based on Geospatial Analysis and Drainage Basin Prioritization of the Rabigh Area Along the Eastern Red Sea Coastal Plain, Saudi Arabia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:9008-:d:1501114
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/9008/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/20/9008/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lirong Yin & Lei Wang & Jianqiang Li & Siyu Lu & Jiawei Tian & Zhengtong Yin & Shan Liu & Wenfeng Zheng, 2023. "YOLOV4_CSPBi: Enhanced Land Target Detection Model," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Rahman, Md. Rejaur & Shi, Z.H. & Chongfa, Cai, 2009. "Soil erosion hazard evaluation—An integrated use of remote sensing, GIS and statistical approaches with biophysical parameters towards management strategies," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 220(13), pages 1724-1734.
    3. Romain Hugonnet & Robert McNabb & Etienne Berthier & Brian Menounos & Christopher Nuth & Luc Girod & Daniel Farinotti & Matthias Huss & Ines Dussaillant & Fanny Brun & Andreas Kääb, 2021. "Accelerated global glacier mass loss in the early twenty-first century," Nature, Nature, vol. 592(7856), pages 726-731, April.
    4. Ashish Pandey & V. Chowdary & B. Mal, 2007. "Identification of critical erosion prone areas in the small agricultural watershed using USLE, GIS and remote sensing," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(4), pages 729-746, April.
    5. Atul Kumar & Sunil Singh & Malay Pramanik & Shairy Chaudhary & Ashwani Kumar Maurya & Manoj Kumar, 2022. "Watershed prioritization for soil erosion mapping in the Lesser Himalayan Indian basin using PCA and WSA methods in conjunction with morphometric parameters and GIS-based approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 3723-3761, March.
    6. German, L. & Mansoor, Hussein & Alemu, Getachew & Mazengia, Waga & Amede, T. & Stroud, A., 2007. "Participatory integrated watershed management: Evolution of concepts and methods in an ecoregional program of the eastern African highlands," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 94(2), pages 189-204, May.
    7. Palanisami, Kuppannan & Kumar, D. Suresh, 2009. "Impacts of Watershed Development Programmes: Experiences and Evidences from Tamil Nadu," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 22(Conferenc).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dodd, M.B. & Wedderburn, M.E. & Parminter, T.G. & Thorrold, B.S. & Quinn, J.M., 2008. "Transformation toward agricultural sustainability in New Zealand hill country pastoral landscapes," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 95-107, September.
    2. R. Jaiswal & T. Thomas & R. Galkate & N. Ghosh & S. Singh, 2014. "Watershed Prioritization Using Saaty’s AHP Based Decision Support for Soil Conservation Measures," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(2), pages 475-494, January.
    3. Wang, Zongxia & Liu, Suxia, 2025. "Double disaggregation of the decline of terrestrial water storage for a highly cultivated dryland partially covered by glaciers," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    4. Chuhong Shen & Kangning Xiong & Tian Shu, 2022. "Dynamic Evolution and Quantitative Attribution of Soil Erosion Based on Slope Units: A Case Study of a Karst Plateau-Gorge Area in SW China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, July.
    5. Caroline Taylor & Tom R. Robinson & Stuart Dunning & J. Rachel Carr & Matthew Westoby, 2023. "Glacial lake outburst floods threaten millions globally," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Demetris Zarris & Marianna Vlastara & Dionysia Panagoulia, 2011. "Sediment Delivery Assessment for a Transboundary Mediterranean Catchment: The Example of Nestos River Catchment," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(14), pages 3785-3803, November.
    7. Shifa Chen & Xuan Zha, 2016. "Evaluation of soil erosion vulnerability in the Zhuxi watershed, Fujian Province, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 82(3), pages 1589-1607, July.
    8. Manoj Jain & Debjyoti Das, 2010. "Estimation of Sediment Yield and Areas of Soil Erosion and Deposition for Watershed Prioritization using GIS and Remote Sensing," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(10), pages 2091-2112, August.
    9. Wen-Chieh Chou, 2010. "Modelling Watershed Scale Soil Loss Prediction and Sediment Yield Estimation," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(10), pages 2075-2090, August.
    10. Albin Wells & Brandon S. Tober & Sarah F. Child & David R. Rounce & Michael G. Loso & Chad P. Hults & Martin Truffer & John W. Holt & Michael S. Christoffersen, 2025. "An 85-year record of glacier change and refined projections for Kennicott and Root Glaciers, Alaska," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Motilal Ghimire & Niroj Timalsina & Wei Zhao, 2024. "A Geographical approach of watershed prioritization in the Himalayas: a case study in the middle mountain district of Nepal," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 23527-23560, September.
    12. Vesna Đukić & Zoran Radić, 2014. "GIS Based Estimation of Sediment Discharge and Areas of Soil Erosion and Deposition for the Torrential Lukovska River Catchment in Serbia," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(13), pages 4567-4581, October.
    13. Kangzheng Zhong & Chunpeng Chen & Liping Xu & Jiang Li & Linlin Cui & Guanghui Wei, 2025. "Are There Differences in the Response of Lake Areas at Different Altitudes in Xinjiang to Climate Change?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-24, September.
    14. Nigussie, Zerihun & Tsunekawa, Atsushi & Haregeweyn, Nigussie & Adgo, Enyew & Cochrane, Logan & Floquet, Anne & Abele, Steffen, 2018. "Applying Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development framework to soil and water conservation activities in north-western Ethiopia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 1-10.
    15. Hadi Eskandari Damaneh & Hassan Khosravi & Khalil Habashi & Hamed Eskandari Damaneh & John P. Tiefenbacher, 2022. "The impact of land use and land cover changes on soil erosion in western Iran," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 110(3), pages 2185-2205, February.
    16. Yanjun Che & Shijin Wang & Yanqiang Wei & Tao Pu & Xinggang Ma, 2022. "Rapid changes to glaciers increased the outburst flood risk in Guangxieco Proglacial Lake in the Kangri Karpo Mountains, Southeast Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 110(3), pages 2163-2184, February.
    17. Tong Cui & Yukun Li & Long Yang & Yi Nan & Kunbiao Li & Mahmut Tudaji & Hongchang Hu & Di Long & Muhammad Shahid & Ammara Mubeen & Zhihua He & Bin Yong & Hui Lu & Chao Li & Guangheng Ni & Chunhong Hu , 2023. "Non-monotonic changes in Asian Water Towers’ streamflow at increasing warming levels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    18. Hamed Ahmadpour & Ommolbanin Bazrafshan & Elham Rafiei-Sardooi & Hossein Zamani & Thomas Panagopoulos, 2021. "Gully Erosion Susceptibility Assessment in the Kondoran Watershed Using Machine Learning Algorithms and the Boruta Feature Selection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-24, September.
    19. Kamel Khanchoul & Mahmoud Tourki, 2020. "Assessment and Mapping of Soil Sensitivity to Erosion Using GIS in Mellegue Catchment, Northeast of Algeria," Earth Sciences Malaysia (ESMY), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 4(1), pages 8-14, February.
    20. J. Haacker & B. Wouters & X. Fettweis & I. A. Glissenaar & J. E. Box, 2024. "Atmospheric-river-induced foehn events drain glaciers on Novaya Zemlya," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:20:p:9008-:d:1501114. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.