Assessment of Intensity and Susceptibility of Gully Erosion through Multiple Discriminate Factors Analysis using Geospatial Techniques in Birbhum District of Rarh Region of West Bengal

Abstract The present study focuses on the identification of the intensity and susceptibility of gully erosion and induced soil erosion in the selected areas of Birbhum district of West Bengal, India. The geospatial techniques have been employed using the meticulous remotely sensed satellite data of Birbhum district. The composite gully erosion susceptibility maps have been prepared based on the aggregation of the normalized values of each indicator using factor analysis of the year 2001. It reveals from the maps that Rampurhat-I and Bolpur-Santiniketan blocks of Birbhum district have faced an excessive loss of lateritic soil cover mostly by the gully erosion during the monsoon season concerning the relationship between soil erosivity and other factors. About 23.45 percent and 20.59 percent area of the total area under Rampurhat-I and Bolpur-Santiniketan blocks are under gully erosion susceptibility zones. The LULC and landholding sizes are despoiled with an increasing rate of soil erosion in the gully areas during the study period. The identification of gully erosion hot spot areas, intensity mapping, and accurate prediction will help to formulate highly insightful, well-developed strategies for adaptation of imperative planning to rectify the soil loss, and soil degradation and assist in eco-efficient agriculture and improves the agri-environmental conditions.