Abstract:
Land use and land cover (LULC) changes are becoming more common in developing coun-
tries, mainly due to growing populations and expanding development. These changes can lead
to increased soil erosion and sedimentation, which negatively affect both farming productivity
and water quality. Despite this, the relationship between LULC change and soil erosion and
sediment yield is not well studied in many watersheds. This research focused on the Gateno
watershed in northeastern Ethiopia, aiming to understand how LULC changes from 2000 to
2024 have influenced soil erosion and sediment yield Landsat 7 and Landsat 8 satellite imag-
es were used to map LULC changes, while remote sensing and GIS tools supported the analy-
sis. To this study, rainfall data (1995–2024) from the national meteorological institute, soil
maps from the Amhara Water Works Design Office, an ASTER digital elevation model (DEM)
and satellite images from USGS, and watershed shape files were used. All spatial data were
processed in ArcGIS 10.8.The InVEST Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) model was applied to
estimate soil loss and sedimentation, and to identify erosion-sensitive areas within the water-
shed.The results showed that areas used for farming and built-up areas have grown a lot,
while areas with bare land and shrubs have decreased. Correspondingly, soil loss rose from
31.4 to 56.17 tons per hectare per year, and sedimentation increased from 6.08 to 10.11 tons
per hectare per year between 2000 and 2024.These findings indicate a strong link between
LULC change and soil sediment yield in the study area. Understanding these impacts is cru-
cial for planning sustainable watershed management and helping policymakers and local
communities make informed decisions.