Water erosion assessment and control in Northern Iraq

The semiarid region of northern Iraq consists of about 12 millions ha of forest, grazing and farmland areas. Water erosion is a serious problem on forest and grazing lands due mainly to land mismanagement. On cropland, conventional farming practices and intensive cropping increased water erosion on marginal land. To assess the damage caused by water erosion in the region, the Universal Soil Loss Equation was used to predict the potential annual soil loss. Present erosion and erosion forms were determined by site visits, remote sensing and from soil survey reports. These information were then compiled in a soil degradation map for the region. The map consists of nine units. Each map unit characterizes potential and present water erosion, erosion forms and a land-use capability index. Overall, about 23% of total land area has slight water erosion. About 22% of total land area which is mostly mountainous land located to the north and northeast of the region has severe water erosion. The rest of the region has a slight to moderate water erosion. An exception are the areas of Sinjar mountain, Adhaim valley and the Hemrin and Makhool mountains where severe rill and gully erosion were identified; these areas form about 8% of total land area in the region. Further land deterioration in the region is expected unless the proper soil conservation measures are implemented.