GIS-based Soil Erosion Assessment Using Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) in Aizawl District, Mizoram, India

Soil erosion poses a significant global environmental challenge, particularly in developing countries. However, Aizawl district, Mizoram, a region characterized by undulating topography, high mean annual precipitation, and anthropogenic pressures like rapid urbanization and shifting cultivation (Jhum). This study utilized the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) implemented within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, to assess water-induced soil loss factors and identify critical erosion hotspots. The results revealed that high soil loss is a consequence of synergistic interactions between physical and management factors. The Rainfall Erosivity (R factor), peaks to 1108.85 MJ mm ha⁻¹ h⁻¹ yr⁻¹, providing maximum detachment energy, which was exponentially amplified by the Topographic (LS factor) in steep slope corridors. The high erosion rates (72,800 ha (34%) were ultimately driven by the cover Management (C factor), which recorded up to 1 in localized Jhum, build-up, and barren land patches. The findings confirm that steep terrain, heavy precipitation, and unsustainable agricultural practices are the most important contributors to soil erosion, requiring prompt and well-coordinated erosion control measures like agroforestry systems.