Controlling and improving soil erosion in coastal areas using TOPSIS (case study of Mazandaran)

One of the main phenomena of soil degradation is erosion. which is a big threat to preserve the environment and the stability of the ecosystem. The consequences of soil mining are an obstacle for developing countries. Soil erosion can have a great impact on the production of agricultural products, the quality of water resources and the ecosystem, and soil protection methods, in addition to reducing soil erosion, also maintain the amount of water and soil moisture. Coastal areas have a special climate and are more exposed to erosion, therefore it is necessary to investigate the factors affecting soil erosion in coastal areas and to provide management solutions for the top factors in soil erosion. The purpose of this research is to control and improve soil erosion in Mazandaran province with the help of TOPSIS technique. This research is practical in terms of purpose and it is done by mixed method to collect information. Also, with field surveys and interviews with experts in this field, ten soil erosion hazards were identified in Mazandaran province. By ranking the factors using the TOPSIS technique in the indicators of the intensity of the effect and the probability of occurrence, the results showed that erosion in natural resource lands, coastal erosion, water erosion, erosion by agricultural lands, and bank erosion have scores of ۱, ۰.۷۳, ۰.۷, respectively. ۰.۴۳, ۰.۴۲ were obtained in TOPSIS technique and then solutions were presented for the top five hazards in order to reduce soil erosion in Mazandaran province. It is expected that the results of this research will be useful to the managers in the water and soil and agriculture sectors in order to adopt appropriate solutions to solve the problems caused by soil erosion.