review · Land
Soil erosion and sediment movement cause agricultural losses, lower water quality, and alter river channels. Managing these environmental impacts requires selecting appropriate catchment-scale models. Models differ in capability, spatial and temporal scope, and often contain limitations, uncertainties, and unrealistic assumptions. Distributed models are generally preferred at the catchment scale because they reflect spatial differences in erosion risks and sediment yields, which assists in planning control measures. Specific tools such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool (AGWA) are identified as useful options because they predict net erosion based on sediment output. Overall, matching the model choice to the basin scale and project objectives improves the accuracy of sediment yield estimations and the effectiveness of conservation interventions.
Soil erosion lowers agricultural productivity, damages water quality, and reshapes natural watercourses. Selecting the right predictive models helps land managers and environmental practitioners plan effective soil conservation measures. By understanding which tools accurately capture local landscape variations, interventions can target high-risk areas more effectively, protecting farmland and freshwater ecosystems from severe degradation.
This review provides decision guidance for practitioners, hydrologists, and environmental planners managing watershed projects and erosion control programmes. The recommended tools, such as SWAT and AGWA, are existing models ready for direct operational application at catchment scale. The work supports near-term implementation by helping users select appropriate existing software for practical sediment estimation and land management needs.
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Soil erosion and sediment transport have significant consequences, including decreased agricultural production, water quality degradation, and modification to stream channels. Understanding these processes and their interactions with contributing factors is crucial for assessing the environmental impacts of erosion. The primary objective of this review is to identify a suitable soil erosion and sediment transport model for catchment-scale application. The study considers various model selection processes, including model capability and the spatial and temporal domains for assessing spatiotemporal distributions. The review acknowledges the limitations, uncertainties, and unrealistic assumptions associated with soil erosion and sediment transport models. Models are usually developed with a particular objective, which demands an assessment of capabilities, spatial, and temporal applicability, and catchment-scale applicability. Distributed models are often preferred for catchment-scale applications, as they can adequately account for spatial variations in erosion potential and sediment yield, aiding in the evaluation of erosion-contributing elements and planning erosion control measures. Based on the findings of this study, the authors encourage utilizing models (such as Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) or Automated Geospatial Watershed Assessment Tool (AGWA)) that can forecast net erosion as a function of sediment output for catchment erosion and sediment yield modeling. This review helps researchers and practitioners involved in erosion and sediment modeling by guiding the selection of an appropriate model type based on specific modeling purposes and basin scale. By choosing appropriate models, the accuracy and effectiveness of sediment yield estimation and erosion control measures can be improved.
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DOI: 10.3390/land12071396
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