Evaluation of rainfall erosivity and its temporal variation in the Yanhe River catchment of the Chinese Loess Plateau

The potential of rain to generate soil erosion is known as the rainfall erosivity (R), and its estimation is fundamental for a better understanding of the erosive ability of certain rainfall events. In this paper, we investigated the temporal variations of rainfall erosivity using common daily rainfall data from four meteorological stations during 1956 to 1989 and 2008 to 2010 periods in the Yanhe River catchment of the Chinese Loess Plateau. The adaptability of several simplified calculation models for R was evaluated and compared with the results of previous studies. An exponential model based on the modified Fournier index (MFI) was considered as the optimum for our study area. By considering the monthly distribution and coefficient of variation of annual precipitation, equations based on two indices, the MFI and its modification F _F , produced a higher calculation accuracy than mean annual precipitation. The rainfall erosivity in the Yanhe River catchment has a remarkable interannual difference, with a seasonality index ranging from 0.69 to 1.05 and a precipitation concentration index from 14.51 to 27.46. In addition to the annual rainfall amounts, the extreme wave of monthly rainfall distribution also has an effect on the magnitude and temporal variation of rainfall erosivity, especially interannual variation. For long time series of rainfall erosivity, a trend coefficient r of ?0.07 indicated a slight decline in erosivity in the Yanhe River catchment from 1956 to 2010.     

我国西南山区降雨侵蚀力时空变化趋势研究

降雨是我国西南山区土壤侵蚀的主要动力因素,降雨侵蚀力反映了降雨对土壤侵蚀的潜在能力,研究降雨侵蚀力的时空变化趋势对我国西南山区土壤侵蚀的监测、评估、预报和治理具有重要意义。利用1960—2009年129个气象站逐日降雨量资料,计算出西南山区各气象站逐年降雨侵蚀力。采用趋势系数、气候倾向率和克吕格插值等方法对西南山区降雨侵蚀力50年来的时空变化趋势进行了探讨。结果表明:西南山区降雨侵蚀力空间分布特征与年降水量的空间分布特征一致;西南山区西北部的青藏高原区域降雨侵蚀力年际变化明显,变差系数Cv一般高于0.40;西南山区大部地区降雨侵蚀力呈上升趋势,说明由降雨侵蚀力引起的土壤侵蚀风险在增加,但在成都平原附近降雨侵蚀力在明显下降;降雨侵蚀力变化趋势系数随海拔高度升高而不断增加,在海拔2 500 m以上地区尤为明显,西南山区西北部的高海拔地区海拔高度对降雨侵蚀力增加具有放大效应。     

Key pluvial parameters in assessing rainfall erosivity in the south-west development region,Romania

Located in the south-western part of Romania, the south-west development region overlaps the main relief forms: the Carpathians mountains, the Getic Subcarpathians, the Getic piedmont, the Romanian plain and the Danube valley. The study aims at providing an overview on the main pluvial parameters and their role in assessing rainfall erosivity in the study area. The authors assessed the occurrence, frequency and magnitude of some of the most significant pluvial parameters and their impact on the climatic aggressiveness in the study area. Thus, the monthly and annual mean and extreme climatic values for different rainfall related parameters (e.g., maximum amounts of precipitation/24 hr, heavy rainfall), as well as relevant indices and indicators for pluvial aggressiveness (Fournier, Fournier Modified, Angot) were calculated. The rainfall erosivity was assessed in order to provide both the spatial distribution of the triggering extreme weather phenomena and the resulted intensity classes for the analysed indices and indicators. The authors used long-term precipitation records (1961–2010) for the selected relevant meteorological stations distributed throughout all analysed relief units.     

Rainfall erosivity and erosivity density in Eastern Ghats Highland of east India

The rainfall erosivity (R-factor in USLE) is the long-term average of the sum of the product of rainfall kinetic energy and its maximum 30-min intensity. Therefore, at most 30-min time intervals pluviograph records are required to calculate R-factor. But, such high-resolution data are scarce in many parts of the world and require lengthy processing period. In this study, R-factor was correlated with daily, monthly and annual rainfall, and its spatial variability in Eastern Ghats Highland of east India was mapped. The result showed that power regression models predicted satisfactorily the daily, monthly and annual R-factor, of which annual R-factor model performed best (model efficiency 0.93). Mean monsoon season R-factor was 15.6 and 10.0 times higher than the pre- and post-monsoon season R-factor, and thus remained highly critical with respect to erosion. Annual R-factor values ranged from 3040 to 10,127 MJ mm ha^?1 h^?1 year^?1, with standard deviation of 1981 MJ mm ha^?1 h^?1 year^?1. Rainfall intensity was positively correlated with erosivity density, and numerical value of rainfall intensity was almost double of the erosivity density value. The combination of rainfall and erosivity density was used to identify flood, erosion and landslide-prone areas. The developed iso-erosivity, erosivity density and risk maps can be opted as a tool for policy makers to take suitable measures against natural hazards in Eastern Ghats Highland of east India and elsewhere with similar rainfall characteristics.

     

Simulating climate change impact on soil erosion using RUSLE model <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">−</Emphasis> A case study in a watershed of mid-Himalayan landscape

Climate change, particularly due to the changed precipitation trend, can have a severe impact on soil erosion. The effect is more pronounced on the higher slopes of the Himalayan region. The goal of this study was to estimate the impact of climate change on soil erosion in a watershed of the Himalayan region using RUSLE model. The GCM (general circulation model) derived emission scenarios (HadCM3 A2a and B2a SRES) were used for climate projection. The statistical downscaling model (SDSM) was used to downscale the precipitation for three future periods, 2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2099, at large scale. Rainfall erosivity (R) was calculated for future periods using the SDSM downscaled precipitation data. ASTER digital elevation model (DEM) and Indian Remote Sensing data – IRS LISS IV satellite data were used to generate the spatial input parameters required by RUSLE model. A digital soil-landscape map was prepared to generate spatially distributed soil erodibility (K) factor map of the watershed. Topographic factors, slope length (L) and steepness (S) were derived from DEM. Normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) derived from the satellite data was used to represent spatial variation vegetation density and condition under various land use/land cover. This variation was used to represent spatial vegetation cover factor. Analysis revealed that the average annual soil loss may increase by 28.38, 25.64 and 20.33% in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s, respectively under A2 scenario, while under B2 scenario, it may increase by 27.06, 25.31 and 23.38% in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s, respectively, from the base period (1985–2013). The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the possible future scenario of soil erosion in the mid-Himalaya for scientists and policy makers.     

Factors triggering landslide occurrence on the Zemun loess plateau,Belgrade area,Serbia

Among the numerous factors that trigger landslide events, the anthropogenic impact caused by inadequate planning and faulty land use in urban areas is increasing. The Zemun settlement on the northern outskirts of Belgrade has experienced a number of landslides in the last three decades, endangering buildings and roads, and claiming human lives, particularly in the case of the 2010/2011 landslides. Selected meteorological parameters were used to calculate rainfall erosivity indices such as Precipitation Concentration Index and Modified Fournier Index over the period 1991–2015. Drought indices, Lang aridity index and Palfai Drought Index were calculated as well. Mann–Kendall trend test was applied to identify potential rising and/or declining trends both in meteorological parameters and calculated indices. Trend analysis of the annual and seasonal scales yielded a statistically significant trend in the spring time series. Stable arid and pronounced drought conditions were recorded. The modified Fournier index based on monthly mean values yields moderate aggressiveness, with several extreme values indicating very high erosivity classes, especially for 2010/2011. The geological substrate is predominantly loess and hence highly susceptible to erosion and slope failure when climatological conditions are suitable. Accelerated urbanization at the end of the last century reduced vegetation cover, intensified pressure on the vertical loess slope, and lacked suitable rain drainage systems so that surface-water runoff was directed into the porous loess, thereby endangering slope stability. We proposed a geomorphic model to describe the nature of the erosional processes on the loess cliffs of the Zemun loess plateau. Results from this study have implications for mitigation strategies.     

Temporal soil erosion risk evaluation: a CORINE methodology application at Elmalı dam watershed,Istanbul

Geographical information systems (GIS)-based soil erosion risk assessment models continue to play an important role in soil conservation planning. In the present study, soil erosion risk of Istanbul–Elmalı dam watershed was determined within GIS-based COoRdination of INformation on the Environment (CORINE) soil erosion risk assessment method. Initially soil texture, soil depth, and surface stoniness maps were created and were intersected in GIS environment in order to generating erodibility map. Then, Fournier precipitation and Bagnouls–Gaussen drought indices determined based on meteorological data and erosivity were calculated. The composed erodibility map was co-evaluated within erosivity value and slope map of the site for composing potential erosion risk map. At the final step, the previous yearly land use maps which belong to years 1984, 1992, and 2003 intersected with potential erosion risk maps and temporal actual erosion risk alteration were assessed. In conclusion, according to our results in Elmalı watershed dam in 1984 there have been low, medium, and high erosion risks at rates 29.67, 52.49, and 17.84%, respectively, whereas in 2003 the erosion risk values have changed from low to high as 26.43, 46.57, and 27.00%, respectively. Inter-year comparison alteration to the advantage of the high erosion risk could have resulted from over degradation and high exposure to anthropogenic activities.     

中国大陆降水时空变异规律——Ⅱ.现代变化趋势

为改进、完善对中国现代降水长期变化规律的理解,利用2 300个国家级气象站网观测资料,更新分析了全国1956—2013年基本降水指标的趋势变化特征。主要结果:① 全国平均年和季节降水量、降水量距平百分率未表现出显著趋势变化,但秋、冬季降水量距平百分率分别表现出较明显的下降和上升;② 年和夏季降水减少主要发生在东北中南部、华北、华中和西南地区,而东南沿海、长江下游、青藏高原和西北等地区年降水增加较明显;③ 降水趋势变化的空间结构相对稳定,北方降水减少范围有由黄土高原、华北平原向东北和西南扩散趋向,东北北部和长江中下游的降水增加范围变小,总体看东部降水减少和增加的区域均在萎缩,“南涝北旱”现象趋向缓解;④ 全国年平均暴雨量、日数呈现出较显著的增加,但暴雨强度没有明显变化,暴雨量和日数增加主要发生在珠江和东南诸河流域,而海河和西南诸河流域暴雨量、日数和强度呈较明显减少趋势;⑤ 东部季风区1日、连续3日和连续5日最大降水量均有一定程度增加,1日最大降水量增加最明显,连续5日最大降水量增加最弱,极端强降水事件持续时间呈现出短历时性倾向。     

Calibrating a rainfall erosivity assessment model at regional scale in Mediterranean area

A simplified regression model is here calibrated on the basis of rainfall data records of Sicily (southern Italy), in order to show the model reliability in assessing the R-factor of the Universal Soil Loss Equation and its revised version (RUSLE) and to provide an estimate of long-term rainfall erosivity at medium-regional scale. The proposed model is a rearrangement of a former simplified model, formulated for the Italian environment, grouping three easily available rainfall variables on various time scales, which has been shown to be more successful than others in reproducing the rainfall erosive power over different locations of Italy. A geostatistical interpolation procedure is then applied for generating the regional long-term erosivity map with associated standard error. Areas with severe erosive rainfalls (from 2,000 up to more than 6,000 MJ mm ha⁻¹ h⁻¹) are pointed out which will correspond to areas suffering from severe soil erosion. Solving the problem of calculating the R-factor value in the RUSLE equation by means of such a simplified model here formulated will allow to predict the related soil loss. Moreover, given the availability of long time-series of concerned rainfall data, it will be possible to analyse the variability of rainfall erosivity within the last 50 years, and to investigate the application of RUSLE or similar soil erosion models with forecasting purposes of soil erosion risk.     

50 a来我国东北及邻近地区年降水量的年代际异常变化

利用中国东北地区195个和蒙古国6个气象台站的年降水量资料, 利用EOF、 REOF和分段线性拟合等方法, 分析了50 a来东北及其邻近地区年降水量的年代际异常变化. 结果表明: 1)50 a来的降水变化, 东北演变过程为多-少-多; 华北的演变过程为多-少. 自1980年代起, 东北地区由干变湿, 而华北地区则由湿变干. 2)降水主要呈3种分布形式: 全区一致型; 南北反向型; 南北部一致与中部相反分布型. 3)降水量总体呈下降趋势, 但近30 a来东北北部有增湿趋势, 而南部的干旱化一直在加剧. 4)大部分地区的降水量在1970年代中期和1980年代初期经历了一次突变, 但是变化的方向、范围及时间各地不尽一致.     

Climate and vegetation in Hokkaido, northern Japan, since the LGM: Pollen records from core GH02-1030 off Tokachi in the northwestern Pacific

Vegetation and climate since the LGM in eastern Hokkaido were investigated based on a pollen record from marine core GH02-1030 from off Tokachi in the northwestern Pacific. We also examined pollen spectra in surface samples from Sakhalin to compare and understand the climatic conditions of Hokkaido during the last glacial period. Vegetation in the Tokachi region in the LGM (22–17 ka) was an open boreal forest dominated by Picea and Larix. During the last deglaciation (17–10 ka), vegetation was characterized by abundant Betula. In the Kenbuchi Basin, central Hokkaido, a remarkable increase of Larix and Pinus occurred in the LGM and the last deglaciation, which was assigned as the “Kenbuchi Stadial.” Comparison of climatic data between the core GH02-1030 and that of Kenbuchi Basin demonstrates that variations in temperature and precipitation were larger in inland Hokkaido than in the maritime area of the Pacific coast. During the LGM in the Tokachi region, the August mean temperature was about 5 °C lower, and annual precipitation was about 40% lower than today. In the Kenbuchi Basin, central Hokkaido, the August mean temperature was about 8 °C lower, and annual precipitation was half that of today. During the last deglaciation, August mean temperatures were about 3 °C lower, and annual precipitation was about 30% lower than today in the Tokachi region. In the Kenbuchi Basin, August mean temperatures were about 5–8 °C lower, and annual precipitation was about 40–60% lower than today. Cold ocean water and a strengthened summer monsoon after 15 ka may have resulted in the formation of advection fogs, reduced summer temperatures, and a decrease in the seasonal temperature difference in the Tokachi district, which established favorable maritime conditions for Betula forests.     

Spatio-temporal changes in rate of soil loss and erosion vulnerability of selected region in the tropical forests of Borneo during last three decades

An attempt has been made to analyze the spatial-temporal characteristics of soil erosion vulnerability and soil loss from the forested region in the north-eastern Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia during the last three decades (1991–2015) using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) and geographical information systems (GIS). The components of RUSLE such as rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope-length and steepness (LS), cover management (C) and conservation practice (P) factors were grouped into two categories by keeping one set as temporally changing and others as static. Among them the R and C factors are calculated for the years 1991, 2001 and 2015 whereas the K and LS factors are considered for the single time frame. Because of the forested nature of the study area, the P factor is kept constant for the whole analysis. The R factor and C factor is shown changes in values and its distribution over the years, which reflected in the final soil loss and erosion vulnerability map as a change in the rate of erosion and spatial domain. The analysis of three time slices has shown that the maximum value of the soil loss per unit area i.e. at erosion hotspots, is relatively similar throughout at around 1636 to 1744 t/ha/y. This is the result of maximum values of R factor and C factor i.e. high rainfall erosivity combined with lack of vegetation cover in those hotspots, which are generally steeply sloping terrain. The reclassification of annual soil loss map into erosion vulnerability zones indicated a major increase in the spatial spread of erosion vulnerability from the year 1991 to 2015 with a significant increase in the high and critical erosion areas from 2.3% (1991) to 31.5% (2015). In 1991, over 84% of the study area was under low erosion vulnerability class but by the year 2015 only 12% was under low erosion vulnerability class. Moreover, a dynamic nature in the erosion pattern was found from the year 1991 to 2015 with more linear areas of land associated with higher rate of soil loss and enhanced erosion vulnerability. The linearity in the spatial pattern is correlated with the development of logging roads and logging activities which has been confirmed by the extraction of exposed areas from satellite images of different years of analysis. The findings of the present study has quantified the changes in vegetation cover from dense, thick tropical forest to open mixed type landscapes which provide less protection against erosion and soil loss during the severe rainfall events which are characteristic of this tropical region.     

Modeling and mapping of water erosion in northeastern Algeria using a seasonal multicriteria approach

Aurès region remains one of the most exposed areas to water erosion phenomenon in Algeria, because of the strong climatic aggressiveness, the rugged relief, the predominance of sensitive land, and a vegetative cover that does not play its protective role. This article is a part of studies performed to protect agricultural and water infrastructure in this region. The main objective of this study is the cartographic modeling of an erosion hazard at the Oued Chemoura watershed, representative of the Aurès. The modeling approach uses a geographic information system and incorporates the following six factors controlling erosion: slope, friability of substrate, erodibility of soils, land cover, rainfall erosivity, and support practices. Result shows a synthetic map of the soil erosion hazard which locates the most threatened areas and priorities for possible planning interventions. A statistical study on the relationship solid–liquid flow was developed. Measurements conducted at the station of Chemoura, over the period 1969–1994, were exploited for this purpose. The results show a high specific degradation varying between 50 and 360 tons km^?2 season^?1.     

A method for modelling mass balance in partial melting and anatectic leucosome segregation

A method is proposed for adjusting the mass balance to characterize quantitatively the behaviour of minerals in anatexis. The method is based on an unconstrained simple mixing model that can be expressed as: where B , A ₀, and A _1-n, are compositional vectors of segregate, source rock and source minerals, respectively. The most important concepts are: (1) degree of partial fusion: F^MM= 1/a₀; (2) mineral fractionation index: and (3) plagioclase differentiation index: . For a given mineral, the MFI values have the following meaning: (a) MFI <0: residual phase originated, at least partly, as a product of incongruent melting; (b) 0 > MFI <1: preferential retention in the residue; (c) MFI= 1: identical modal fraction in source and melt; (d) a₀ > MFI > 1: preferential incorporation into the segregate, and (e) MFI > a₀: external contribution to the anatectic system defined by a₀ A ₀. To test the method and illustrate its use, it was applied to two real problems of partial melting in the Peña Negra Anatectic Complex (Central Spain). The first is a very simple case of segregation of a diktyonitic neosome from an orthogneiss through partial melting located in vertical shear zones. This process is characterized by: (1) F^MM= 0.51; (2) active incorporation of K-feldspar, plagioclase and biotite into the segregate; (3) disequilibrium melting of plagioclase; (4) residual behaviour of quartz and ilmenite. The second case concerns the formation of a cordierite-bearing granite from granodioritoid diatexites through an anatectic process, whose most salient characteristics are: (1) F^MM= 0.45; (2) incongruent melting of biotite; (3) residual behaviour of plagioclase, which melted with a PDI of 1.22; (4) preferential incorporation of quartz into the segregate; (5) total extraction of K-feldspar from the residue.     

1961-2010年西藏雅鲁藏布江流域降水量变化特征及其对径流的影响分析

采用1961-2010年雅鲁藏布江流域6个气象站近50 a降水量的实测数据,统计降水量的年、干季、湿季平均序列;结合流域6个水文站近50 a年径流序列资料,分析雅鲁藏布江流域降水变化特征及其对径流量的影响. 研究表明： 雅鲁藏布江流域1961-2010年近50 a年平均降水量表现为不显著增加,增加速率为3.3 mm·（10a）^-1,其中干季、湿季分别为1.9 mm·（10a）^-1 和1.4 mm·（10a）^-1,均为增加趋势;降水量的年代际变化在20世纪60年代相对偏多,70年代较平稳,而80年代为最少,到90年代有所回升,21世纪前10 a降水量处于不显著的增多态势. 雅鲁藏布江径流的变差系数C_V值在0.15~0.40之间,年际变化较小. 径流的年代际变化总体上存在一定的周期性波动,20世纪60年代是一个相对的丰水期,70年代减少,80年代达到最小值,之后径流有所回升,进入21世纪前10 a呈不显著增加趋势. 年、湿季尺度上径流量和降水量的相关显著,湿季作为径流主要形成期,其降水量的多寡直接影响流域径流量的丰枯,湿季降水量的增减影响着流域径流量的增减. 由此可见,降水变化是雅鲁藏布江天然径流最主要影响因子,最终也决定了雅鲁藏布江流域年径流量的丰枯.     

Modern alluvial history of the Paria Rver drainage basin, southern Utah

Stream channels in the Paria River basin were eroded and partially refilled between 1883 and 1980. Basin-wide erosion began in 1883; channels were fully entrenched and widened by 1890. This erosion occurred during the well-documented period of arroyo cutting in the Southwest. Photographs of the Paria River channel taken between 1918 and 1940 show that the channel did not have a floodplain and remained wide and deep until the early 1940s. A thin bar (<50 cm), now reworked and locally preserved, was deposited at that time. Basin-wide aggradation, which began in the early 1940s, developed floodplains by vertical accretion. The floodplain alluvium, 1.3–3 m thick. consists of two units recognizable throughout the studied area. An older unit was deposited during a time of low flow and sediment yield whereas the younger unit was deposited during times of high flow, sediment yield, and precipitation. Tree-ring dating suggests that the older unit was deposited between the early 1940s and 1956, and the younger between 1956 and 1980. The units are not time transgressive, suggesting that deposition by knickpoint recession was not an important process. High peak-flood discharges were associated with crosion and low flood discharges with aggradation. The erosional or aggradational mode of the streams was determined principally by peak-flood discharge, which in turn was controlled by precipitation.     

中国干旱-半干旱区当代气候变化

本文在作者近年有关研究工作的基础上，结合最新资料和有关成果，对我国干旱－半干旱区当代气候变化做了比较系统的分析。结果表明，中国干旱－半干旱区气候变化与全国和北半球气候变化相比有一定的特点。冬夏温度变化不同，干旱－半干旱区降水变化趋势不同。     

Soil erosion prediction using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in a GIS framework,Chania, Northwestern Crete,Greece

Soil erosion is a growing problem in southern Greece and particularly in the island of Crete, the biggest Greek island with great agricultural activity. Soil erosion not only decreases agricultural productivity, but also reduces the water availability. In the current study, an effort to predict potential annual soil loss has been conducted. For the prediction, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) has been adopted in a Geographical Information System framework. The RUSLE factors were calculated (in the form of raster layers) for the nine major watersheds which cover the northern part of the Chania Prefecture. The R-factor was calculated from monthly and annual precipitation data. The K-factor was estimated using soil maps available from the Soil Geographical Data Base of Europe at a scale of 1:1,000,000. The LS-factor was calculated from a 30-m digital elevation model. The C-factor was calculated using Remote Sensing techniques. The P-factor in absence of data was set to 1. The results show that an extended part of the area is undergoing severe erosion. The mean annual soil loss is predicted up to ∼200 (t/ha year⁻¹) for some watersheds showing extended erosion and demanding the attention of local administrators.     

Rapid warming in mid-latitude central Asia for the past 100 years

Surface air temperature variations during the last 100 years (1901–2003) in mid-latitude central Asia were analyzed using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs). The results suggest that temperature variations in four major sub-regions, i.e. the eastern monsoonal area, central Asia, the Mongolian Plateau and the Tarim Basin, respectively, are coherent and characterized by a striking warming trend during the last 100 years. The annual mean temperature increasing rates at each sub-region (representative station) are 0.19°C per decade, 0.16°C per decade, 0.23°C per decade and 0.15°C per decade, respectively. The average annual mean temperature increasing rate of the four sub-regions is 0.18°C per decade, with a greater increasing rate in winter (0.21°C per decade). In Asian mid-latitude areas, surface air temperature increased relatively slowly from the 1900s to 1970s, and it has increased rapidly since 1970s. This pattern of temperature variation differs from that in the other areas of China. Notably, there was no obvious warming between the 1920s and 1940s, with temperature fluctuating between warming and cooling trends (e.g. 1920s, 1940s, 1960s, 1980s, 1990s). However, the warming trends are of a greater magnitude and their durations are longer than that of the cooling periods, which leads to an overall warming. The amplitude of temperature variations in the study region is also larger than that in eastern China during different periods.     

Soil erosion and sediment yield modeling using RS and GIS techniques: a case study, Iran

Water erosion is a serious and continuous environmental problem in many parts of the world. The need to quantify the amount of erosion, sediment delivery, and sediment yield in a spatially distributed form has become essential at the watershed scale and in the implementation of conservation efforts. In this study, an effort to predict potential annual soil loss and sediment yield is conducted by using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model with adaptation in a geographic information system (GIS). The rainfall erosivity, soil erosivity, slope length, steepness, plant cover, and management practice and conservation support practice factors are among the basic factors that are obtained from monthly and annual rainfall data, soil map of the region, 50-m digital elevation model, remote sensing (RS) techniques (with use of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), and GIS, respectively. The Ilam dam watershed which is located southeast part of Ilam province in western Iran is considered as study area. The study indicates that the slope length and steepness of the RUSLE model are the most effective factors controlling soil erosion in the region. The mean annual soil loss and sediment yield are also predicted. Moreover, the results indicated that 45.25%, 12.18%, 12.44%, 10.79%, and 19.34% of the study area are under minimal, low, moderate, high, and extreme actual erosion risks, respectively. Since 30.13% of the region is under high and extreme erosion risk, adoption of suitable conservation measures seems to be inevitable. So, the RUSLE model integrated with RS and GIS techniques has a great potential for producing accurate and inexpensive erosion and sediment yield risk maps in Iran.