Estimation of soil losses using different soil erosion models in Karaisali Adana

Aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between soil erosion and land use in the selected areas by using the USLE / RUSLE, modified Morgan-Morgan Finney (mMMF) and revised G2 erosion models. Land use from past to present by GIS techniques. The study was conducted at two study areas both covering 100 km2 area in Cakit Basin at the Karaisalı town of Adana province. Set of Landsat satellite imagery that belong the same months in different years (1984, 1990, 1999, 2010), existing maps of study area, research reports, meteorological and statistical data and the information obtained from field studies were used to produce potential and actual erosion risks maps and soil loses. By using USLE/RUSLE, modified Morgan-Morgan Finney(mMMF) and revised G2 soil loss methods comperatively, soil loss from the study area will be determined by the data obtained from field studies and Landsat satellite image set. In the study the new model G2 that was developed in 2011, is applied to the study area and comparisons are made between G2 model with the other selected models. It was concluded that all of the models possessed sufficient details for the purpose of determination of erosion conditions and were applicable in order to determine erosion maps. Generally the RUSLE model was found the most suitable model for the two study areas. It has been identified that mMMF model will give better results in medium scaled works and revised G2 model will give better results in large scaled works.