Estimation of water erosion in the Necaxa system, Puebla, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: Estimate potential and current water erosion in the Necaxa System and propose alternatives to reduce the problem of siltation of the hydraulic infrastructure

Design/methodology/approach: The Universal Soil Loss equation will be applied through algebra of maps processed in a Geographic Information System.

Results: It was estimated that the current water erosion in the Necaxa system is 159 tons / ha * year, a factor that affects the loss of land for crops, loss of nutrients in the soil, accumulation of material towards urban areas, silting up of streams, reservoirs and loss of capacity of the hydraulic works of the system.

Limitations on study/implications: There is no information on runoff batches in the field that allows the current water erosion values to be compared with those obtained by the EUPS applied by map algebra.

Findings/conclusions: By proposing reforestation and carrying out conservation agriculture, it could be reduced to 16 tons / ha * year. However, if control actions are not carried out and the current coverage is not preserved, the problem can increase until reaching potential erosion values higher than 200 ton / ha * year.