Soil loss modelling in Himalayan region; A case of Tuirial Basin, Mizoram

Abstract Soil loss is most common phenomenon everywhere but it is more peculiar in the eastern Himalayan extension region like Mizoram due to its rugged terrain composed of sedimentary rock. As the region falls under moist tropical climate, erosion is assumed to be very high due to existence of steep slopes and loose sedimentary terrain, which needs attention for soil conservation and other management practices to check at least to minimize further erosion. An attempt was made in Tuirial watershed in the northeastern part of Mizoram based on the integration of the factors like R, K, LS and C in GIS environment. The estimated average annual soil loss ranges from 0.0 to 1519.52 thousand t ha− 1y− 1. Soil loss in this watershed was classified into seven zones of erosion intensity. Among all, high to very severe zones occupy large area of about 13027.53 ha. which is 9.35% of the total area. The use of geospatial technologies in the quantification of soil loss through the integration of R, K, LS, C and P factors for better resource planning in order to implement appropriate conservation measures is found to be effective.