Qualitative Assessment of Water Erosion in Zawita Town in Dohuk Governorate within Kurdistan Region in Iraq, Using the (PAP/CAR) Model

Abstract

The research aims to assess qualitative degradation and identify soil vulnerability and environmental sensitivity to detect and diagnose deterioration in the Zawita area within Dohuk Governorate, using the (PAP/CAR) model, which is linked to variables including (lithology - slope - soil protection factor - land cover and land use), derived from Landsat Oli 8 data, Dem, geological reports, as well as climate satellite data. A soil susceptibility map for degradation was prepared by intersecting the maps of lithology (soil type) and slope (direction, elevation), and producing a soil protection factor map from the plant map and land cover and land use map. The results revealed the spread of five categories of degradation (weak, very weak, moderate, severe, very severe), and it was found that water erosion is significantly influential, covering an area of 111.17 km2, representing 27.57% of the total area.