An approach to mapping soil erosion by water with application to Albania Original Research Article

The combination of the mountainous terrain of Albania and a seasonally wet Mediterranean climate has led to some of the most extreme erosion in Europe. New methodology is used in this work to estimate soil erosion risk and provide a framework for soil conservation that can effectively and economically control soil loss. A onedimensional hydrology, vegetation and erosion model (RDI/CSEP) is used to calculate accumulative soil erosion. This model provides an integrating the climatic, topography and associated vegetation components into soil erosion modeling. The forecast runoff, accumulated across the frequency distribution of storms, is used to give a climatic potential, which is then appropriately combined with measures of topography and soil erodibility to estimate the expected rate of soil erosion at a resolution of 1 km. Annual and monthly soil erosion maps of Albania are also developed in this research. The proposed approach for evolution and mapping soil erosion by water uses existing soil maps, land use maps, a digital elevation model (1km), and interpolated climate data. The erosion maps clearly show that Albania is a country where erosion is potentially severe. The annual erosion rates are estimated at 10 t ha–1y–1 or more, especially in the south and center part of the country. In three areas (two in Gjirokastër, and one in Sarandë) the annual erosion rate is more than 100 t ha–1 y–1. Erosion rates are highest in October, November, February and December and lowest in June and July.