Spatial-Multi-Criteria Evaluation Approach for Land Evaluation: A Case Study Wadi El-Assyouty – Egypt

Research Abstract

Spatial-Multi-Criteria Evaluation Approach for Land Evaluation: A Case Study Wadi El-Assyouty – Egypt A.A. Belal1, S.S. Mohamed1 and M. Shrkawy2 1 Soil Department, Agriculture Application, Soil and Marine Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science Soil Sciences. 2 Agriculture Application Department, Agriculture Application, Soil and Marine Division, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science Soil Sciences. Wadi El Assyouty is an important developmental area located at the east of Nile river - south Assyout Governorate. It is bounded by longitudes 31° 13' 42" to 31° 40' 12" E and latitudes 27° 01' 35" to 27° 26' 45" N. The application of a Spatial Multi –Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) approach to identify suitable areas for the production of maize, cotton, alfalfa, wheat, potato, tomato, Guava and mango crops in wadi El Assyout -Egypt. These are the most important crops in Assyout Governorate-Egypt. Climate, relief and soil databases were used to integrate GIS raster coverages. Relevant criteria for crops and suitability levels were defined. This information was used to obtain the criteria maps, which in turn were used as input into the MCE algorithm. Several decision support procedures in the ILWIS software were applied to obtain the suitability maps for each crop. Advanced tools such as remote sensing (R.S.), Geographic Information System (GIS) and digital elevation model (DEM) were used to produces geomorpho-geological, soil and capability maps. Fourteen geomorphic units were recognized i.e. Decantation basin, overflow basin, high recent river terraces, low recent river terraces, alluvial fans, levee, out wash plain, rubble terraces, wadi bottom, wadi plain, wadies, hills, plateau and island. Using US Soil Taxonomy in 2010, two soil orders were identified- Entisols and Aridisols which it‟s were represented by five great groups Typic Toriorthents, Vertic Haploargids, Vertic Haplocalcids, Typic Haplocalcids and Lithic Haplocalcids. Five soil capability classes were recognized in the studied area S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6. Key words: Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation, Remote Sensing, GIS, Land Evaluation, Wadi El-Assyouty

Research Keywords

patial Multi-Criteria Evaluation, Remote Sensing, GIS, Land Evaluation, Wadi El-Assyouty