Assessment of soil quality in some areas of the nile delta, Egypt, using GIS and remote sensing

Abstract EN

This study aims at assessing Soil Quality Index (SQI) works interactively, comparing the values of the characteristics of the land unit with the Levels set designated for each quality class.

Soil quality is based on analysis of edaphic factors which affect the quality.

The following steps explain the mechanism of Soil Quality Index (SQI): drainage (D); rock fragments (R); slope (S), soil texture (T), soil depth (P), parent material (M) salinity (EC), sodicity (ESP), pH and calcium carbonate (O).

The study area includes the following three governorates (Kafr El-Sheikh, Gharbia, Dakahliea) The studied area lies between 31° 36' 50.2″ and 30° 34' 35.4″ N and 30° 21' 59.5″ and 32° 18' 15.8″ E, and covers 9995 km² (999500 ha).

The area includes three landscapes: flood plain, aeolian plain and lacustrine plain.

Thirty soil profiles representing Two Quality classes were defined class II "moderate quality" covering 2.24 % of the area (22440.32 ha), in mapping unit CF1 and class III "Moderate-low quality" covering 80.76% (701517.64 ha) of the area in units decantation basins (DB), overflow basins (OB), overflow mantle (OM), high river terraces (RT1), moderate river terraces (RT2) low river terraces (RT3), sand sheets (SS), relatively low clay (CF2) and wet sabkha ( WS).