Application of Geography Information System (GIS) in rain erosive index estimation (a case study in Glostan Province, Iran)

Nowadays, optimum used of natural resources is one of the most important elements of independency and economic development of a country, particularly the optimum usage of water and soil resources should be more considered. Rain plays the role as one of the most significant factors in water-erosion process. On the other hand, this type of erosion is more considered in comparison with wind-erosion whole over the world and governments invest much money to control and preserve the erosion. In order to estimating of rain erosion index, many studies have been done by many researchers. Fortrieh Modified (MF) index is one of the most popular rain erosion indexes, which depends on monthly and annual mean rainfall. In this research value of rain erosion of Golestan province was estimated according to the above mentioned index and using long period meteorological stations data (31 years in 35 stations). In this case GIS was used for 2 main purposes, first for interpolation of data between meteorological stations (distributing point data to all study area), second for visualizing of results in map format. Results showed that rain erosion in northern band was insignificant but in central and southern band it was in medium or high range, only in Minoodasht zone this factor was
very high.