ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Assessing Soil Erosion Risk in Kazakhstan:
A RUSLE-Based Approach for Land Rehabilitation
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1
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
2
International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Laguna, Philippines
3
United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), Ontario, Canada
Submission date: 2024-02-01
Acceptance date: 2024-04-18
Online publication date: 2024-12-30
Corresponding author
Aigul Tokbergenova
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Al-Farabi avenue, 71, 050040, Almaty, Kazakhstan
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ABSTRACT
Soil degradation is increasing in Kazakhstan, leading to severe losses in land productivity.
The Almaty region, the country’s leading agricultural and industrial province, is among the most affected
areas. The objective of this study is to evaluate, for the first time, the applicability of the revised model
of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) for estimating the rate of soil erosion and identifying areas
susceptible to soil erosion in the Almaty region. The revised USLE (RUSLE) factors, including rainfall
erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length, and steepness, were represented using data on soil, topography,
and land use/vegetation cover from the region. Using the RUSLE model’s algorithms, we generated
an erosion risk map, emphasizing areas with a high potential for erosion. The results show higher soil
erosion rates in agricultural areas with steep slopes and inadequate environmental practices – annual
soil losses in the region are as high as 26,279 t/ha/year in high-risk areas. On average, approximately
88% of the region’s territory loses up to 103 t/ha/year, while 9% loses about three times as much.
Such potential soil erosion risks warrant the implementation of efficient soil conservation strategies
in the region to protect soils, ensure desired agricultural productivity, and support the journey
in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15.