Towards Sustainable Development: Ranking of Soil Erosion-Prone Areas Using Morphometric Analysis and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques

Padala Raja Shekar ¹

Aneesh Mathew ²

Fahdah Falah ben Hasher ³

Kaleem Mehmood ⁴

Mohamed Zhran ⁵

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Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, SR University, Warangal 506371, Telangana, India

Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 620015, Tamil Nadu, India |

Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia |

⁴

Institute of Forest Science, University of Swat, Main Campus, Charbagh 19120, Swat, Pakistan

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Public Works Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt |

Publication type: Journal Article

Publication date: 2025-03-01

MDPI

Journal: Sustainability

scimago Q1

SJR: 0.672

CiteScore: 6.8

Impact factor: 3.3

ISSN: 20711050

DOI: 10.3390/su17052124

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Abstract

Sub-watershed prioritization using morphometric analysis and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques is a systematic approach to identifying and ranking sub-watersheds based on their susceptibility to soil erosion. This helps in implementing targeted soil conservation measures. In this study, sub-watersheds in the Narangi basin are prioritized by employing morphometric analysis integrated with advanced MCDM techniques, including additive ratio assessment (ARAS), complicated proportional assessment (COPRAS), multi-objective optimization by ratio analysis (MOORA), and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Weights for various MCDM methods are determined using the criteria importance through an inter-criteria correlation approach (CRITIC: criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation method), while geospatial techniques ensure precise spatial analysis. The results provide a unified ranking of sub-watersheds, revealing that sub-watershed 3 (SW3) and SW9 are in the high-priority soil erosion category; SW1, SW2, SW5, and SW8 are medium-priority; and SW4, SW6, SW7, and SW10 are low-priority. This comprehensive and sustainability-oriented approach equips decision-makers with robust tools to identify and manage sub-watersheds at risk of soil erosion, ensuring the long-term sustainability of land and water resources. This study aligns with sustainable development goal 15 (life on land) and promotes sustainable land use practices to combat soil degradation.