Soil Susceptibility to Water Erosion in the Al-Butnan Region

Abstract

Rainfall erosion is a problem facing arid and semi-arid lands, as it removes the topsoil and loose soil layers that are poor in vegetation cover. This study examines the natural and climatic factors that contribute to rain erosion in the Butnan region in northeastern Libya. To study this process, the study relied on rainfall averages for the period) (1987– 2020)at two stations: Tobruk in the northern part of the region and Jaghbub station in the south. These stations differ in their natural conditions, such as geographical and astronomical location and elevation above sea level. The Fournier equation was applied to the surface of the study area to determine the soil's susceptibility to rain erosion. The results obtained revealed that rainfall is concentrated in the winter and spring seasons, and the soil's susceptibility to erosion during the wet months. The lack of vegetation cover also contributed to the activity of rain erosion. By calculating the collision erosion intensity equation in the study area, and applying the Fournier equation, it was found that rain erosion is weak at Tobruk station and weaker at Jaghbub station. Due to drought conditions and low rainfall ,