Investigation of a new land use planning model for soil conservation; the case of mikail stream micro-basin example

The study, which aims to transform the İLSEN Land Evaluation Method into a model that can be used in the preparation of land use plans that will reduce erosion in river basins, was carried out in Mikail Stream Micro-Basin with an area of approximately 1180.21 ha within the borders of Onikisubat District of Kahramanmaraş Province. First of all, the detailed soil survey study of the area was carried out in order to determine the mapping units in land evaluation studies, to reveal the differences between the land characteristics and to create a data source for the estimation of soil losses. Twelve soil series have been defined in the Mikail Stream Micro-Basin. According to the Soil Taxonomy, identified series were classified as Alfisol, Entisol, İnceptisol and Vertisol. Identified series were classified as Alfisol, Entisol, İnceptisol and Vertisol according to the Soil Taxonomy. 36 different Land Utilization Types, which are produced within the research area and can be cultivated ecologically, including contour agriculture and terraced soil protection applications, have been determined and defined. As a result of the land evaluation, 8 different land-use planning scenarios were created. The first scenario was created based on the highest mapping unit index values, the second scenario was created based on the highest physical mapping index values, the third scenario was created by giving priority to annual plants, the fourth scenario was created by giving priority to land use types with soil protection, and the fifth scenario was created by giving priority to land use types with dry agriculture. the sixth scenario was created by reducing non-agricultural land and the seventh scenario was created the forest and pasture areas in the current land use of the basin without being used for agriculture. The eighth scenario was created as the current land use of the basin. Estimated soil loss amounts of the prepared land use planning scenarios were calculated by using the RUSLE Method. According to the current land use status of the study area (8th Scenario), the amount of soil loss was calculated as 335.95 tons ha-1 year-1 on average, and the soil loss caused by the 7th scenario prepared for the basin area was calculated as 69.05 tons ha-1 year-1 on average. 7th scenario, which has the lowest soil loss among the scenarios, has been determined as the most appropriate use for the basin. In the light of the findings, it is thought that the erosion-reducing land-use planning approach developed for the Mikail Stream Micro-Basin can be used in similar basins. Keywords: Land Evaluation, Land Use Planning, Erosion, ILSEN, RUSLE