Use of 137Cs technique for soil erosion study in the agricultural region of Casablanca in Morocco

Accelerated erosion and soil degradation currently cause serious problems to the Oued El Maleh basin (Morocco). Furthermore, there is still only limited information on rates of soil loss for optimising strategies for soil conservation. In the present study we have used the 137Cs technique to assess the soil erosion rates on an agricultural land in Oued el Maleh basin near Casablanca (Morocco). A small representative agricultural field was selected to investigate the soil degradation required by soil managers in this region. The transect approach was applied for sampling to identify the spatial redistribution of 137Cs. The spatial variability of 137Cs inventory has provided evidence of the importance of tillage process and the human effects on the redistribution of 137Cs. The mean 137Cs inventory was found about 842 Bq m−2, this value corresponds to an erosion rate of 82 tha−1 yr−1 by applying simplified mass balance model in a preliminary estimation. When data on site characteristics were available, the refined mass balance model was applied to highlight the contribution of tillage effect in soil redistribution. The erosion rate was estimated about 50 tha−1 yr−1. The aspects related to the sampling procedures and the models for calculation of erosion rates are discussed.