Soil Erosion in Sierras Chicas Córdoba: A RUSLE Model Analysis with Remote Sensing Data

In Argentina, the deforestation has reached a significant magnitude, particularly in the Chaco Serrano area. One of the main consequences of deforestation is the presence of bare soils which are vulnerable to precipitation, where runoff causes flash floods, particularly in the cities crossed by the river in Saldan stream basin, region Sierras Chicas – Cordoba. In this context geospatial techniques allow to quantify the spatial distribution and temporal evolution of prone zones to erosion based on models which incorporate climatic, edaphological, biological and anthropic variables. The RUSLE (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) model, calibrated by means of local factors, is used as base methodology to carry out the analysis. The calculation is made by merging satellite, archive and field information. The optical image classifications show a decrease in middle and low stratum of the vegetation cover for the period 2005-2013, a situation that directly impacts the erosion rate of soils close to urban piedmont populations.