Hydrologic impact of climate change with adaptation of vegetation community in a forest-dominant watershed

This study evaluated the impact on watershed hydrology by predicting future forest community change under a climate change scenario. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was selected and applied to Chungju dam watershed (6,642 km²) of South Korea. The SWAT was calibrated and validated for 6 years (1998–2003) using the daily streamflow data from three locations. For the future evaluation of forest community and hydrology, the MIROC3.2 HiRes monthly climate data were adopted. The future data were corrected using 30 years (1977–2006, baseline period) of measured weather data, and they were daily downscaled by the Long Ashton Research Station-Weather Generator statistical method. To predict the future forest vegetation cover, the baseline forest community was modeled by a multinomial LOGIT model using variables of baseline precipitation, temperature, elevation, degree of base saturation, and soil organic matter, and the future forest community was predicted using the future precipitation and temperature scenario. The future temperature increase of 4.8 °C by 2080s (2070–2099) led to prediction of 30.8 % decrease of mixed forest and 75.8 % increase of coniferous forest compared to the baseline forest community. For the baseline evapotranspiration (ET) of 491.5 mm/year, the 2080s ET under the forest community change was 591.1 mm/year, whereas it was 551.8 mm/year with the remaining forest community stationary. The different ET results considering the future forest community clearly affected the groundwater recharge and streamflow in sequence.     

Simulation of rainfall runoff and pollutant load for Chikugo River basin in Japan using a GIS-based distributed parameter model

In watershed management, the determination of peak and total runoff due to rainfall and prediction of pollutant load are very important. Measurement of rainfall runoff and pollutant load is always the best approach but is not always possible at the desired time and location. In practice, diffuse pollution has a complex natural dependence on various land-use activities such as agriculture, livestock breeding, and forestry. Estimation of pollutant load is therefore essential for watershed management and water pollution control. In this study, a model of rainfall runoff and pollutant load, which uses a geographical information system (GIS) database, is a convenient and powerful tool for resolving the abovementioned complexities. This technology was applied in order to simulate the runoff discharge and the pollutant load of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the Chikugo River basin of Kyushu Island, Japan. First, a hydrologic modeling system (HEC-HMS) and GIS software extension tool were used for simulations of elevation, drainage line definition, watershed delineation, drainage feature characterization, and geometric network generation. The spatial distributions of land cover, soil classes, rainfall, and evaporation were then analyzed in order to simulate the daily runoff discharge at the Chikugo Barrage from April 2005 to December 2007. An important point in this approach is that a new development for data input processing with HEC-HMS was introduced for optimizing parameters of the model. Next, the water quality indicators TN and TP were examined, and an efficient approach was investigated for estimating monthly pollutant loads directly from unit load and ground-observed hydrological data. Both nonpoint and point sources of pollutants were considered, including different land-cover categories, sewers, factories, and livestock farms. The observed and simulated results for the runoff discharges and pollutant loads were in good agreement and totally consistent, indicating that the proposed model is applicable to simulation of rainfall runoff and pollutant load in the Chikugo River basin. Further, this model will be able to provide managers with a useful tool for optimizing the water surface management of this river basin.     

Environmental drivers of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ixodes ricinus</Emphasis> abundance in forest fragments of rural European landscapes

Background

The castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits infectious diseases such as Lyme borreliosis, which constitutes an important ecosystem disservice. Despite many local studies, a comprehensive understanding of the key drivers of tick abundance at the continental scale is still lacking. We analyze a large set of environmental factors as potential drivers of I. ricinus abundance. Our multi-scale study was carried out in deciduous forest fragments dispersed within two contrasting rural landscapes of eight regions, along a macroclimatic gradient stretching from southern France to central Sweden and Estonia. We surveyed the abundance of I. ricinus, plant community composition, forest structure and soil properties and compiled data on landscape structure, macroclimate and habitat properties. We used linear mixed models to analyze patterns and derived the relative importance of the significant drivers.

Results

Many drivers had, on their own, either a moderate or small explanatory value for the abundance of I. ricinus, but combined they explained a substantial part of variation. This emphasizes the complex ecology of I. ricinus and the relevance of environmental factors for tick abundance. Macroclimate only explained a small fraction of variation, while properties of macro- and microhabitat, which buffer macroclimate, had a considerable impact on tick abundance. The amount of forest and the composition of the surrounding rural landscape were additionally important drivers of tick abundance. Functional (dispersules) and structural (density of tree and shrub layers) properties of the habitat patch played an important role. Various diversity metrics had only a small relative importance. Ontogenetic tick stages showed pronounced differences in their response. The abundance of nymphs and adults is explained by the preceding stage with a positive relationship, indicating a cumulative effect of drivers.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the ecosystem disservices of tick-borne diseases, via the abundance of ticks, strongly depends on habitat properties and thus on how humans manage ecosystems from the scale of the microhabitat to the landscape. This study stresses the need to further evaluate the interaction between climate change and ecosystem management on I. ricinus abundance.

     

SWAT modeling of best management practices for Chungju dam watershed in South Korea under future climate change scenarios

Suitable and practicable best management practices (BMPs) need to be developed due to steadily increasing agricultural land development, intensified fertilization practices, and increased soil erosion and pollutant loads from cultivated areas. The soil and water assessment tool model was used to evaluate the present and future proper BMP scenarios for Chungju dam watershed (6,642 km²) of South Korea, which includes rice paddy and upland crop areas. The present (1981–2010) and future (2040s and 2080s) BMPs of streambank stabilization, building recharge structures, conservation tillage, and terrace and contour farming were examined individually in terms of reducing nonpoint source pollution loads by applying MIROC3.2 HiRes A1B and B1 scenarios. Streambank stabilization achieved the highest reductions in sediment and T-N, and slope terracing was a highly effective BMP for sediment and T-P removal in both present and future climate conditions.     

Influence of Habitat and Land Use on the Assemblages of Ephemeroptera,Plecoptera, and Trichoptera in Neotropical Streams

Insects of the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) are often used to assess the conditions of aquatic environments, but few studies have examined the differences in these communities between riffles and pools. Our objective was to test whether riffles shelter greater richness and abundance of EPT, as well as to assess the sensitivity of these insects for detecting impacts from different land uses in streams in southeastern Brazil. Samples were collected in the dry season of 2012 with a Surber sampler in riffles and pools of nine streams (forest, pasture, and urban areas). Principal component analysis distinguished the streams according to different land uses as a function of percentage of plant cover and water oxygenation level and showed partial distinction between riffles and pools as a function of current speed and percentage of ultrafine sand. Detrended correspondence analysis indicated the distinction in EPT composition between riffles and pools, except in urban streams. The results of this study confirm the expected differences in the EPT fauna structure between riffles and pools, especially in forest and pasture environments. The individual metrics of riffle and pool assemblages showed significantly different responses to land use. Therefore, we suggest individual sampling of riffles and pools, since the metrics of these assemblages’ insects can differ between these habitats and influence the results of assessments in low-order streams.     

Estimation of pollutant loads in an estuarine reservoir considering pollution source characteristics and seasonal variation

The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program is an integrated process of watershed assessment and management to address surface water quality impairment. The management of organic contaminants and nutrients is a primary concern in conserving surface water bodies. Watershed-scale pollutant loads simulation can assist stakeholders and watershed planners in making decisions on immediate and long-term land use schemes to improve water quality. However, the behavior of contaminants in a watershed needs to be characterized prior to such model applications. The objectives of this study were to characterize point and nonpoint pollutants runoff at a watershed scale and to develop a Pollutant Load Calculation Model (PLCM), which facilitates the estimation of pollutant delivery to a watershed outlet. The developed model was applied for the six sub-watersheds of the Saemangeum estuarine watershed in Korea, where a large tidal reclamation project has been underway. Two years stream flow and water quality data were used for the model calibration, while 1 year data were utilized for the model validation. The model calibration resulted in the R ² values of 0.58, 0.53, and 0.35 for BOD, TN, and TP, respectively. Overall performance for the validation period was similar with that for the calibration period although the R ² values were slightly decreased. The PLCM tends to substantially under or overestimate delivery pollutants loads during the summer rainy seasons when most rainfall events occur. This is probably because once-a-month-measured water quality data, which might not represent appropriately monthly water quality, particularly, for rainy seasons, were used for the loads calculation. Thus, more frequently monitored water quality data should be used for the delivery loads estimation at least for a rainy season in order to improve the PLCM performance. Nevertheless, the developed model took the pollutant reduction process into account, which is not allowed with the conventional unit loading method, and furthermore temporal variations of pollutant loads based on stream flows were also incorporated into the pollutant loads estimation. The developed PLCM can be a useful tool to assess pollutants delivery loads at a watershed scale and thus assist decision makers in developing watershed pollution management schemes.     

Influence of paddy rice terraces on soil erosion of a small watershed in a hilly area of Northern Vietnam

Soil erosion is the main cause of soil degradation in northern Vietnam. In this study, soil erosion was measured in 2 m² field plots, a 19.1-ha sub-watershed, and a 248.9-ha main watershed in Tam Quan commune, Tam Duong district, northern Vietnam during 2 years, i.e., 2004–2005. The main watershed includes lowland paddy fields, and is representative for watersheds in the northern Vietnamese landscape. Soil erosion was measured for eight events, at all the three scales to increase our understanding of erosional processes and to assess the effects of paddy fields within the main watershed. The results show that total discharge and sediment yield in both sub-watershed and main watershed were much lower than those in the field plots. Total discharge per unit area in the main watershed was higher than in the sub-watershed, because during the growing season, the paddies are filled with water and any rainfall on them therefore becomes runoff. Sediment yield in the main watershed fluctuated, depending on the soil erosion contribution from many sub-watersheds. Annual rainfalls in 2004 and 2005 were 1,172 and 1,560 mm, respectively, resulting in corresponding total discharges of 54 and 332 mm and total soil losses of 163 and 1,722 kg ha^?1 year^?1. High runoff volumes occurred in July, August, and September, but April, June, the last 10 days of September and October, were the susceptible periods for soil erosion in the study area because of low plant cover and many agricultural activities during these periods.     

Effect of surface cover on the reduction of runoff and agricultural NPS pollution from upland fields

In this study, two types of simulations were performed. First, indoor rainfall simulation revealed that runoff ratio (0–63.3 %) decreased dramatically with surface cover, compared with no surface cover condition (55–85.3 %), and sediment load and concentration also decreased. With additions of PAM, sawdust, and rice hull to rice straw mat, the runoff ratio decreased to 52.8, 36.6, and 53.2 %, compared with only rice straw mat condition (runoff ratio of 63.3 %). When gypsum was added, no runoff was observed in case of rainfall intensity of 30 mm/h. Under 60 mm/h rainfall condition, 50 % or more runoff reduction was observed. These could be explained in that surface cover reduces detachment of soil particles and keeps infiltration rate by reducing surface sealing with detached soil particle which could happen under non-surface cover condition. Second, when rice straw mat was applied to soybean field, no runoff was observed until rainfall intensity of 5.8 mm/h or greater, while runoff was observed with rainfall intensity of 1.5 mm/h at no surface covered soybean field. In addition, 89.7–99.4 % of pollutant reductions were observed with rice straw mat at the soybean field. When rice straw mat with additions of wood shaves was applied to Chinese cabbage and radish fields, 4.3–75.8 % of runoff reductions and 28–80.8 % of pollutant reductions were observed. In case of Chinese cabbage, 122.1 % yield increase was observed and 153.4 % yield increase in case of radish.     

Application of machine-learning models for diagnosing health hazard of nitrate toxicity in shallow aquifers

There is a growing concern about health hazards linked to nitrate (NO₃) toxicity in groundwater due to overuse of nitrogen fertilizers in rice production systems of northern Iran. Simple-cost-effective methods for quick and reliable prediction of NO₃ contamination in groundwater of such agricultural systems can ensure sustainable rural development. Using 10-year time series data, the capability of adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and support vector machine (SVM) models as well as six geostatistical models was assessed for predicting NO₃ concentration in groundwater and its noncarcinogenic health risk. The dataset comprised 9360 water samples representing 26 different wells monitored for 10 years. The best predictions were found by SVM models which decreased prediction errors by 42–73 % compared with other models. However, using well locations and sampling date as input parameters led to the best performance of SVM model for predicting NO₃ with RMSE = 4.75–8.19 mg l^?1 and MBE = 3.3–5.2 mg l^?1. ANFIS models ranked next with RMSE = 8.19–25.1 mg l^?1 and MBE = 5.2–13.2 mg l^?1 while geostatistical models led to the worst results. The created raster maps with SVM models showed that NO₃ concentration in 38–97 % of the study area usually exceeded the human-affected limit of 13 mg l^?1 during different seasons. Generally, risk probability went beyond 90 % except for winter when groundwater quality was safe from nitrate viewpoint. Noncarcinogenic risk exceeded the unity in about 1.13 and 6.82 % of the study area in spring and summer, respectively, indicating that long-term use of groundwater poses a significant health risk to local resident. Based on the results, SVM models were suitable tools to identify nitrate-polluted regions in the study area. Also, paddy fields were the principal source of nitrate contamination of groundwater mainly due to unmanaged agricultural activities emphasizing the importance of proper management of paddy fields since a considerable land in the world is devoted to rice cultivation.     

Prioritizing locations for the riparian establishment based on spatiotemporal change of riparian forest area at a watershed scale

A majority of streams in Korea have been channelized and their adjacent flood plains have been converted for anthropogenic land use, especially in urbanized areas. Fortunately, recent elevated public recognition to the stream ecosystem has led to governmental efforts to conserve riparian areas. In this study, a simple method to prioritize locations for riparian establishment was developed at a watershed scale based on spatiotemporal change of riparian forest area. The developed method was applied for the Ansung and Sapkyo watersheds, which were under consideration for the stream riparian area establishment by the Korean Ministry of Environment. Two riparian forest indices, Riparian Forest Index (RFI) and Riparian Forest Change Index (RFCI) were developed to represent spatial and temporal change of watershed riparian forest, respectively. LANSAT satellite images with a 30 m × 30 m resolution were used to estimate the two riparian forest indices. A precautionary approach, which intends to preserve the existing riparian forests as much as possible, was applied by ranking sub-watersheds based on the two riparian forest indices to prioritize locations for the riparian establishment at a sub-watershed level. The results showed that overall urban land cover in riparian areas increased while forests and cropland decreased over the past 25 years. More importantly, riparian forest removal occurred more rapidly in the riparian area, which is one of the most important niches for riparian ecosystems, as compared to the entire watershed. Most riparian forests appeared to be located upstream of the watersheds, and thus it is important to develop management measures to preserve existing riparian forests from human activities. The developed approach could be a useful tool that can assist policy makers to prioritize locations for the riparian area establishment. However, this method has limitations of only considering riparian forest area and therefore, other aspects such as stream morphology as well as ecology needs to be incorporated into riparian area determination process as they become available in the future. In addition, considering that substantial portions of riparian areas have already been disturbed, the restoration aspect of the impaired riparian also needs to be investigated further.     

Evaluation of MODIS NDVI and LST for indicating soil moisture of forest areas based on SWAT modeling

This study examined the capability of remotely sensed information gained using the terra moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST) to explain forest soil moisture. The soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) was used for the analysis. Nine years (2000–2008) of monthly MODIS NDVI and LST data from a 2,694.4 km² watershed consisting of forest-dominant areas in South Korea were compared with SWAT simulated soil moisture. Before the analysis, the SWAT model was calibrated and verified using 9 years of daily streamflow at three gauging stations and 6 years (2003–2008) of daily measured soil moisture at three locations within the watershed. The average Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency during the streamflow calibration and validation was 0.72 and 0.70, respectively. The SWAT soil moisture showed a higher correlation with MODIS LST during the forest leaf growing period (March–June) and with MODIS NDVI during the leaf falling period (September–December). Low correlation was observed in the year of frequent rains, regardless of the leaf periods.     

Effects of streamline complexity on the relationships between urban land use and ecological communities in streams

Urban land use can adversely affect the water quality of adjacent streams through interactions at the edges of the two ecosystems. From a landscape ecological perspective, edges control the flow rate of materials between two adjacent systems. Based on the rationale that the streamline complexity formed between land uses and water bodies may function in this manner, we investigated the potential role of streamline complexity in the relationship between stream ecological communities and urban land use in Korea. Various indices of biological indicators including the diatom assemblage index for organic pollution, the trophic diatom index, the Korean saprobic index, and the index of biotic integrity were applied at 80 sampling sites in the Nakdong River system. We computed the fractal dimensions of the streamlines within 1-km buffers and the proportion of urban land use in the watershed within 5-km buffers around the sampling sites. A moderation model was adopted to investigate the role of streamline complexity in the relationship between urban land use and the biological indices of ecological communities. A comparison between a simple geometry regression model and complex geometry models indicated that streamline complexity may moderate the adverse impacts of urban land use on ecological communities in streams. The moderating effect of streamline complexity was particularly significant for assemblages of macroinvertebrates and fishes. Therefore, to enhance the ecological integrity of streams, we strongly recommend considering streamline complexity when restoring channelized streams in developed areas.     

Self-made microlysimeters to measure soil evaporation: a test on aerobic rice in northern Italy

Soil water balance researches aimed at improving crop water use efficiency often require the determination of soil evaporation. In this technical note, the performance of simple and cheap self-made microlysimeters for the measurement of soil evaporation was tested in an aerobic rice field managed by intermittent irrigation. Six microlysimeters obtained by cutting commercial PVC pipes and closing the bottom ends with caps were positioned in appropriate PVC outer casings installed into the soil. Three measurement campaigns (for a total of 11 measurement periods) were carried out in different vegetation cover conditions (rice development, rice maturity and after the crop harvest). Evaporation amounts were analysed with respect to climatic data, vegetation cover and soil water status and, finally, compared with the simulated results of a FAO Penman–Monteith “dual crop coefficient” model implemented with site-specific data. Evaporation rates in the three campaigns were closely dependent on the evaporative demand of the atmosphere ETo (R ² = 0.96, 0.98, 0.96), while the slope of the linear regression curve was strongly related to the vegetation cover (b = 0.29, 0.12, 0.94); soil water content, always rather high during the experiments, did not affect the evaporation rate. Measured and simulated evaporation amounts showed a close agreement: the linear regression was characterized by slope and R ² of 0.98 and 0.95, while RMSE and NSE indices were 0.15 and 0.94. From the tests conducted, we can conclude that the self-made microlysimeters presented in this note are affordable instruments for measuring soil evaporation, at least in temperate climate conditions.     

Evaluation of HYDRUS-2D model to simulate the loss of nitrate in subsurface controlled drainage in a physical model scale of paddy fields

Agriculture is a major source of nitrogen usage and release to environment. Due to the effect of water movement on solute transport, investigating the effect of different management scenarios of irrigation and drainage could be useful for reducing nitrate loss and environmental pollution. This study is a scientific attempt to assess the ability of HYDRUS-2D model to simulate the effect of subsurface controlled drainage on nitrate loss of paddy fields. So, two physical models with difference in depth of subsurface controlled drainage (40 and 60 cm) were constructed. The tanks were filled with loam silty soil texture and then transplanted rice. 90 kg/ha potassium nitrate fertilizer was added in two stages of rice growth. Mid-season drainage was applied 26 days after transplantation. After 17 days, drains were closed again and applied flooded irrigation with 5-cm water stagnant layer above soil surface. During experiment, nitrate concentration of drain water was measured. HYDRUS-2D was calibrated with measured data in 60 cm drain depth and validated with 40 cm drain depth. HYDRUS-2D could simulate nitrate concentration with the coefficient of determination 0.95 and 0.89 in calibration and validation stages, respectively. The comparison between the volume of drain water and nitrate concentration from the drains in the depths of 40 and 60 cm indicated lower nitrate load in depth of 40 cm. The results obtained proved that the presence of hardpan layer in depth of 25 cm rather than the absence of it causes increase in 3 % of average nitrate concentration and reduce in 17 % of water discharge.     

Farm-level land diversity of smallholders with limited input resources during urbanization in Taiwan

During urbanization in Taiwan, the input resources of farmland are always compressed by other land uses; the landscape diversity of small farms is emphasized in rural areas. To determine the extent to which diversity in farmland use corresponds with urbanization, a goal programming study was established. This was analysed by investigating several assumed options of diversification that are available to the smallholder. The results revealed that the existing pattern of land use among members of the Taoyuan Irrigation Association (TIA) is constrained mainly by the basic requirement for paddy fields. The value of the gross benefit of farmer could be reduced by 20 %, and that of landscape diversity could increase by 67 % in cases of which the paddy field is reduced for other land use through the optimal allocation of the studied land use was implemented. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the existing pattern of land use can survive the potential shortage of input resources to adapt urbanization through the diversified land use. Among the options for diversified land use, a varied landscape can be created that will both enrich the recreational space, and enhance the reasonable consumption of limited input resources in small farm.     

Evaluation of land use change and groundwater use impact on stream drying phenomena using a grid-based continuous hydrologic model

The effect of land use change on drying streams was evaluated using a grid-based continuous hydrological model (PGA-CC). For a drying stream-progressed watershed (398.8 km²), the model was calibrated and validated using 7 years (2005–2011) of streamflow data at the watershed outlet with an average Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency of 0.71. Based on the model simulation results for 36 years (1976 to 2011), both land use change and climate change decreased the 10-day minimum flow by 0.16 m³/s and increased the day counts below the annual average by 40.6 days/year. These changes resulted from the 8.7 % increase in urban area, 1.43-fold increase in groundwater use, and 1.1 °C temperature increase during the 36-year period. From the distributed results of the model, we identified the drying stream location and progression. The spring and winter seasons were relatively strongly affected, and drying streams were identified in more urbanized areas with greater groundwater use.     

Improving riparian greenspace established in river watersheds

The purpose of this study was to analyze the propriety of establishing riparian greenspace for watersheds of four major rivers in South Korea and suggest strategies for improving the analyzed problems. Growth environments, vegetation structures, planting techniques, and tree growth and management conditions were analyzed targeting 45 sites. Soils at the sites had organic matter of 1.3 % and cation exchange capacity of 4.4 cmol⁺/kg, which are poor conditions for tree growth. A tree diameter at breast height of <7 cm accounted for 77 % of all trees planted, and mean tree cover was only 28 % due to planting of mainly small trees. Planting techniques were represented by single-layered planting (84 %) consisting of a single species or a few species in similar size. Approximately 11 % of all planted trees withered, and many trees had poor growth. The growth ratios for shoot and leaf length in planted trees compared with normally growing trees were 57 and 77 %, respectively. Oppression by invasion of herbaceous and climbing plants associated with negligent maintenance hindered normal tree growth at some sites. Strategies to improve these problems and promote the function of riparian greenspaces suggest securing a minimum width and connectivity of greenspace, analyzing growth ground prior to planting, improving the soil environment, woodchip mulching on ground surfaces, middle/high density plantings mixed with fast-growing trees, edge planting to protect internal growth environment, and multilayered and grouped ecological planting reflecting natural riparian forest structures.     

Simulation of water quality with the application of system dynamics model for population and land-use changes

Water quality is degraded due to urbanization because it causes population growth and land-use changes in a watershed. These changes are usually simulated using a linear equation; however, in reality, population and land use are very closely related. A watershed system dynamics model (WSD model) was developed in the simulation of the relation among population, land use (paddy fields, upland fields, forest, and household), and runoff. The model comprised of three sectors: the agricultural sector, nature sector, and urban sector. The elements in the WSD model were selected based on interviews with local government officers and references. The WSD model simulated population, land use, and runoff with an average relative error of about 5%. Total nitrogen (T-N) and total phosphorus (T-P) were simulated using the results of the WSD model and unit effluent loads. Field surveys were conducted to determine the rate of mitigation in paddy fields. In addition, correction equations for runoff and phosphate-containing detergent were introduced. The model simulated T-N with an average relative error of 9%, and T-P with 27%; a sensitivity analysis for the principal elements in the WSD model showed reasonable results.     

Sediment yield modelling of an agricultural watershed using MUSLE, remote sensing and GIS

A study was undertaken to estimate the sediment yield of the Karso watershed of Hazaribagh, Jharkhand State, India using modified universal soil loss equation (MUSLE), remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. The runoff factor of MUSLE was computed using the measured values of runoff and peak rate of runoff at outlet of the watershed. The topographic factor (LS) was determined using GIS while crop management factor (C) was determined from land use/land cover data, obtained from RS and field survey. The conservation practice factor (P) was obtained from the literature. Sediment yield at the outlet of the study watershed was simulated for 345 rainfall events spread over a period of 1996–2001 and validated with the measured values. Nash–Sutcliffe simulation model efficiency of 0.8 and high value of coefficient of determination (0.83) indicated that MUSLE model estimated sediment yield satisfactorily.