Erosion risk mapping using CORINE methodology for Goz watershed in Kahramanmaras region, Turkey

Abstract

Soil erosion may cause serious environmental impacts on soil and water resources such as excessive sedimentation, especially on steep terrain and erodible soils in arid and semiarid areas. The sediment yield due to erosion has also economic consequences on dam watersheds by affecting economic life of dams, which are one of the most important infrastructure investments in Turkey. Thus, it is very important to determine potential erosion risk in order to develop adequate erosion prevention measures in dam watersheds. This study aimed to develop erosion risk map for Goz Watershed of Menzelet Dam in the eastern Mediterranean city of Kahramanmaras in Turkey. In the methodology, Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies were employed based on COoRdination of INformation on the Environment (CORINE) methodology. The results indicated that 54.52% of the Goz Watershed was under moderate erosion risk, while there was a high erosion risk in 45.48% of the watershed based on the potential erosion risk map. According to actual erosion risk maps, 11.97 and 88.03% of the watershed area was subject to moderate and high erosion risk, respectively. It was found that the most important factors for erosion risks in the watershed were steep slope (average of 38%) and lack of vegetation cover (only 11.67% of forest cover). Besides, the results indicated that potential and actual erosion risk mapping by CORINE method is a quite efficient and cost effective approach.