Soil Erosion and Reservoir Sedimentation in the Catchment of Wadis in Emirate of Fujairah, UAE – An Integrated Study Using RUSLE, Geospatial Techniques, Sediment and Water Analysis

Authors: Subraelu Pakam, François Mitterand Tsombou, Sachin Ashok Porob, Fouad Lamghari Ridouane, Simon Zerisenay Ghebremeskel, Ahmed Sefelnasr, Kakani Nageswara Rao, Abdel Azim Ebraheem and Alaa Ahmed.

Map of the study area, Inset (a) geographical location of Fujairah City, where study area exists, Inset (b): Elevation of the study area. Inset (c) showing the total catchment areas of seven Wadis, main Dams and Breaker Dams in Fujairah City.

Abstract: This article discusses the current obstacles associated with dam sedimentation and in overcoming these obstacles to ensure the sustainable management of sediments and water in arid reservoirs for the long term. Consequently, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model is used to quantify the soil loss in the catchment region in conjunction with terrestrial observations, remote sensing data, and geographic information systems (GIS). The projected annual soil loss in the study area, ranges from 0 to 50 tons per hectare per year (t ha-1 yr-1). The findings indicated that 83% of the study area has a low erosion risk, primarily because of the predominance of precipitous terrain and minimal land use. The 14% of the area has a medium erosion risk, while the remaining 3% has a high erosion risk. The wedge method has been used to determine the volume of sediment that was deposited in three major dams: Wadi Hayl Dam, Wadi Ham South Dam, and Wadi Safad Dam. The volume of sediment in Wadi Hayl Dam is 11,570m3, the volume in Wadi Ham South Dam is 15,540m3, and the volume in Wadi Safad Dam is 12,586m3. Sediment and water samples from these reservoirs have undergone examination. In comparison to Wadi Hayl, the Wadi Safad and Wadi Ham sites exhibited significantly higher levels of chemical components in their water samples. The measured variables had a major effect, which are influenced by soil depths, with the 0-25cm range exhibiting more substantial values than the 0-50cm range. Throughout the investigation, the concentrations of heavy metals in the sediment were significantly higher than those in the water samples. The policymakers can utilize the results of this study to implement suitable soil conservation measures in the high and medium-risk soil erosion zones, in addition to the regular maintenance of reservoirs and the utilization of reservoir water and sediment for the benefit of society. The techniques described in this document are therefore applicable to similar environments in arid regions.

Reference: 

https://juniperpublishers.com/ijesnr/pdf/IJESNR.MS.ID.556408.pdf.