Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EVALUATION OF WATER EROSION BY MAPPING AND APPLICATION OF THE PAP/RAC METHOD IN THE PRERIF OF OUAZZANE

Fartas Najia, El fellah Bouchta, Mastere Mohamed, Benzougagh Brahim and El brahimi Mohammed

Abstract

This work is interested in mapping the areas vulnerable to water erosion by the method PAP/ RAC (Priority Activity Programs / Regional Activity Center) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the level of the watershed of Oued Joumouaa, located in the Western Prérif. The synthetic map of the predictive phase shows the distribution of erosive states, with 36.21% of the basin area subject to high to extreme erosion. The descriptive phase provides information on the distribution of the different forms of erosion and shows the dominance of sheet erosion which occupies 76.6% of the total area of the basin. The third phase of PAP/ RAC is the superposition of the results of the predictive and descriptive phases gives the consolidated map which is characterized by strong soil alterations in relation with medium deep gullies located in the middle part of the watershed. These forms may be due to the absence of vegetation cover, the steep slope and the aggressiveness of rainfall.