The study area is located in the Eastern desert part of the Nile valley of
Assiut Governorate, and covers about 56670 feddans. The objective of this study
is to evaluate the soils of Wadi El Assiuty for the agricultural development using
remote sensing data. The obtained physiographic units in the study area and the
associated soils that represented by ten soil profiles were attributed as:
(1) Gently undulating to undulating oldest alluvial terraces which include the taxonomic
units of Typic Clacigypsids, loamy-skeletal, mixed, hyperthermic as dominated soils,
and Typic Clacigypsids, coarse-loamy, gypsic, hyperthermic, as minor soils.
(2) Almost flat to gently undulating old alluvial terraces have the taxonomic units of
Typic Haplocalcids, sandy-skeletal, mixed, hyperthermic as dominant soils, while
Typic Clacigypsids, coarse-loamy, mixed,hyperthermic, as minor soils.
(3) Young alluvial terraces includes Typic Haplocalcids, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic as
dominant soils.
(4) Wadi bottoms includes the taxonomic units of Typic Torriorthents, sandy-skeletal,
mixed, hyperthermic and Typic Torriorthents, sandy, mixed, hyperthermic.
(5) Dissected Rockland which are not promising area for the agricultural land use.
The current and potential suitability of the studied soils for irrigated
agriculture were estimated. The obtained results indicate that all soils in
its present condition have no to slight intensity of limitations for wetness,
soil depth, calcium carbonate and gypsum contents. The soil texture
including gravel, salinity and alkalinity, and soil topography are the most
effected soil limitations. The obtained current suitability classes are
dominated by the marginally suitable one (S3), with exception the
currently not suitable (N1) of the oldest terraces soils. All the studied soil
profiles can be potentially classified as moderately suitable (S2), which
refers to its suitability after major soil improvements.