Determining Erosion Status in Vahkin Stream by Using Weighted Superimposed

Abstract

The study was set to analyze to erosion status of Vahkin Stream Watershed. Vahkin stream gathers waters of the watershed located in the south of Bingol. Vahkin merges with Murat River in Genc lowland. The elevation and slope degree are very high in the watershed which is a tectonically active site. Thus, the watershed faces a severe erosion. Erosion status of the watershed was analyzed through slope, drainage density, Normalized Differences Vegetation Index (NDVI) and land use factors. Slope degree from Digital Elevation Model (DEM), NDVI and land uses from satellite images and drainage density from a topographic map. The factor maps were reclassified, given a grade according to their risk point and finally added. The result indicated that in the watershed very high erosion sensitive areas cover 17\%, high sensitive areas 12\%, medium sensitive areas 53\%, and low and very low areas 20\%. These numbers were greatly affected by the slope degrees and vegetation cover. Thus, especially vegetation is must be improved in the watershed to limit erosion.