%0 Journal Article
%T Erosion Rates in Dam Catchments in Jordan—Effects of Topography, Geology, and Urbanizations
%A Elias Salameh
%A Hakam Al-Alami
%A Ibraheem Hamdan
%J Open Journal of Soil Science
%P 319-331
%@ 2162-5379
%D 2024
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ojss.2024.145018
%X Erosion as a natural process produces soils, which are very important natural resources for the fest land plant- and animal kingdoms. Loss of the soil cover reduces agricultural production, biodiversity, and the role of soil as a filter for infiltrating water to replenish the groundwater. It also threatens the food supplies. The knowledge of erosion rates of rocks and terrains is important for developing proactive measures to protect soils from erosion and loss. In this study, erosion rates of catchment areas were calculated based on dams’ catchment extensions and the sediment loads transported by flood flows into dams’ lakes. The study results show that the chemically, via floodwater, transported quantities of materials are negligible compared to the solid materials transported by the water. It calculates erosion rates ranging from 0.013 to 0.212 mm/yr (13 - 212 m/10<sup>6</sup> yr) for the different catchment areas. Erosion rates in Jordan are, generally, higher than those calculated for the different parts of the world ranging from 2.5 to 60 m/10<sup>6</sup> yr. This fact can be explained by the very steep topography, calcareous rock cover of the catchment areas and the barren rock exposures.
%K Erosion Rates
%K Jordan
%K Dams
%K Sediment Load
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=133559