Comparison of FAO, USDA, and FRWMO Methods in Preparation of Land Capability Map of Oshnavieh Galazchai Watershed, Iran

Assessment of land use capabilities based on regional conditions is essential to reduce human impacts on natural resources and to identify suitable land uses. However, the selection of appropriate method for evaluating the potential of the land at the watershed scale has received less attention. Therefore, the present study aimed to apply and validate three methods of FAO, USDA and the Forests, Range and Watershed Management Organization (FRWMO) in assessing the land capability of the Oshnavieh Galazchai Watershed in West Azerbaijan, Iran. Towards this, different criteria were assessed for designation of land capability for the Galazchai Watershed based on the available standards. Corresponding available data were consequently obtained using 122 soil samples taken throughout the watershed as well as topographic and meteorological information. According to the results of the study, the highest and the lowest absolute changes were regarded to the FRWMO and FAO methods with an area of 6682 and 5656 ha, respectively. On the other hand, the maximum disagreement was found between the current land use with the FRWMO method with Kappa of 0.64, which is due to allocation of land with steep slope to agriculture and orchard. Hence, it is recommended to allocate land to different uses according to the land potential of the region and also considering the economic and social conditions of watershed stakeholders after applying land use changes to maximize the satisfaction of all stakeholders and lead to sustainability of the study watershed.