Lack of ground cover vegetation

Oct 13, 2025 by windailys.com 92 views

Introduction

The Deli River is one of the vital resources in the city of Medan, but unfortunately, it is currently experiencing an alarming level of erosion. To understand the causes and severity of erosion, this study uses the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method to calculate the erosion value in the Sei Sikambing Sub-watershed, Medan City. The USLE method is a widely used approach to predict soil erosion and has been applied in various studies to assess the risk of erosion in different regions.

Methodology

The USLE method is a mathematical equation that takes into account several factors to predict soil erosion. The equation is as follows:

A = R * K * LS * C * P

Where:

A = soil erosion rate (tons/ha/year)
R = rainfall erosivity factor
K = soil erodibility factor
LS = topographic factor
C = cover management factor
P = conservation practice factor

The USLE method was applied to the Sei Sikambing Sub-watershed to calculate the erosion value. The results showed that the highest erosion value in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed reached 242.51 tons/ha/year, while the lowest value was 54.54 tons/ha/year. The highest erosion tolerance value was recorded at 30.88 tons/ha/year, while the lowest value reached 20.2 tons/ha/year. This shows that most of the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed region experiences an erosion rate that exceeds the tolerance limit.

Results

The results of this study indicate that the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed has a high erosion potential. The factors that contribute to erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed include:

Slope

Steep slopes cause the flow of rainwater to be faster and faster, thus triggering soil erosion.
Fine textured soils such as clay and clay are more susceptible to erosion than rough-textured soils such as sand.

Rainfall

High rainfall intensity and rain frequency that can often increase the rate of erosion.

Vegetation

Lack of ground cover vegetation can increase the rate of erosion because the soil becomes more easily eroded by rainwater.

Human activities

Human activities such as deforestation, land clearing, and infrastructure development can increase the level of erosion.

Discussion

The results of this study indicate that the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed has a high erosion potential. The factors that contribute to erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed include slope, rainfall, vegetation, and human activities. The increased erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed can cause some negative impacts, such as sedimentation in reservoirs and rivers, floods, decreased water quality, and land damage.

Conclusion

To prevent and minimize the impact of erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed, it is necessary to take several strategic steps, including:

Increased ground cover vegetation

Tree planting and ground cover plants can help reduce the rate of erosion by slowing down the flow of rainwater and increasing water infiltration into the soil.

Application of conservation agricultural systems

Application of conservation agricultural systems such as terraces, plant rotation, and the use of organic fertilizer can help reduce soil erosion and increase land productivity.

Development of erosion control infrastructure

The construction of dams, embankments, and drainage channels can help control the flow of rainwater and reduce the rate of erosion.

Increasing public awareness

Increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion is very important for the success of the soil conservation program.

Recommendations

The results of this study are expected to be a reference for stakeholders to take strategic steps in overcoming the problem of erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed and restoring healthy environmental conditions. The study recommends the implementation of conservation agricultural systems, development of erosion control infrastructure, and increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion.

Limitations

This study has some limitations, including the use of a single method (USLE) to predict soil erosion and the lack of data on some of the factors that contribute to erosion. Future studies should consider using multiple methods to predict soil erosion and collecting more data on the factors that contribute to erosion.

Future research directions

Future research directions should include:

Using multiple methods to predict soil erosion and comparing the results with the USLE method.
Collecting more data on the factors that contribute to erosion, such as rainfall, vegetation, and human activities.
Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation agricultural systems and erosion control infrastructure in reducing soil erosion.
Increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion.

References

[1] Renard, K. G., et al. (1997). Predicting soil erosion by water: A guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). USDA-ARS.
[2] Wischmeier, W. H., & Smith, D. D. (1978). Predicting rainfall-erosion losses: A guide to conservation planning. USDA-ARS.
[3] Soil Conservation Service. (1985). Soil erosion prediction using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). USDA-SCS.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Prediction of the Sei Sikambing Watershed Sub-area with the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method

Q: What is the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method?

A: The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method is a widely used approach to predict soil erosion. It takes into account several factors, including rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, topographic factor, cover management factor, and conservation practice factor, to calculate the soil erosion rate.

Q: What are the factors that contribute to erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed?

A: The factors that contribute to erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed include slope, rainfall, vegetation, and human activities. Steep slopes, fine textured soils, high rainfall intensity, lack of ground cover vegetation, and human activities such as deforestation, land clearing, and infrastructure development can increase the level of erosion.

Q: What are the negative impacts of erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed?

A: The increased erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed can cause some negative impacts, such as sedimentation in reservoirs and rivers, floods, decreased water quality, and land damage.

Q: What are the strategies to prevent and minimize the impact of erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed?

A: To prevent and minimize the impact of erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed, it is necessary to take several strategic steps, including:

Increased ground cover vegetation: Tree planting and ground cover plants can help reduce the rate of erosion by slowing down the flow of rainwater and increasing water infiltration into the soil.
Application of conservation agricultural systems: Application of conservation agricultural systems such as terraces, plant rotation, and the use of organic fertilizer can help reduce soil erosion and increase land productivity.
Development of erosion control infrastructure: The construction of dams, embankments, and drainage channels can help control the flow of rainwater and reduce the rate of erosion.
Increasing public awareness: Increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion is very important for the success of the soil conservation program.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: This study has some limitations, including the use of a single method (USLE) to predict soil erosion and the lack of data on some of the factors that contribute to erosion. Future studies should consider using multiple methods to predict soil erosion and collecting more data on the factors that contribute to erosion.

Q: What are the future research directions?

A: Future research directions should include:

Using multiple methods to predict soil erosion and comparing the results with the USLE method.
Collecting more data on the factors that contribute to erosion, such as rainfall, vegetation, and human activities.
Evaluating the effectiveness of conservation agricultural systems and erosion control infrastructure in reducing soil erosion.
Increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion.

Q: What are the implications of this study for stakeholders?

A: The results of this study are expected to be a reference for stakeholders to take strategic steps in overcoming the problem of erosion in the Sei Sikambing sub-watershed and restoring healthy environmental conditions. The study recommends the implementation of conservation agricultural systems, development of erosion control infrastructure, and increasing public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion.

Q: What are the recommendations for policymakers?

A: Policymakers should consider the results of this study and take action to implement conservation agricultural systems, develop erosion control infrastructure, and increase public awareness about the importance of maintaining environmental sustainability and minimizing erosion. This can be achieved through the development of policies and programs that promote sustainable land use practices and reduce soil erosion.

Q: What are the recommendations for researchers?

A: Researchers should consider the limitations of this study and conduct further research to improve the accuracy of soil erosion predictions. This can be achieved through the use of multiple methods to predict soil erosion and the collection of more data on the factors that contribute to erosion.