Investigation of relationships among the environmental factors and water erosion changes using EPM model and GIS

Abstract:Soil erosion and as a result of that, sedimentation process particularly where the topography involves rugged mountainous regions in the watersheds like those in Iran. The case in point is the Khiav Chay Watershed, in the Ardabil Province of Iran. The methodology involves assessing the environmental factors and water erosion relationship, focusing on topography, soil & ground, vegetation and human factors. NDVI, land use and drainage density were studied , related maps were then produced and compared in two time series using aerial photos (1968) and satellite images (2007) to determine the influence of environmental factors on soil erosion. EPM model was also used to estimate the specific erosion.