Soil Quality of Kapatagan Watershed, Lanao del Norte

Kapatagan watershed had once provided abounding natural resources to the community but is now degraded due to natural and anthropogenic activities. A rapid site assessment was conducted to determine soil quality of Kapatagan watershed. Seven representative barangays were selected as sampling sites. Moisture, texture, drainage, color and slope, pH, potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus content were the physicochemical properties of soil assessed. Results showed that most of these physicochemical qualities were within the standards while some were already at the borderline and few were outside the standard limit. Soil quality in Curvada was still good and suitable for plant growth. Phosphorus in soil of Mahayahay, Bel-is and Cathedral was already depleted. Mahayahay soil was slightly degraded as indicated further by the color and the surface pH value.  These results can be used to evaluate past practices to determine their impact to watershed soil quality and to formulate policy direction towards sustainability. However, further investigation on various chemical, physical, and biological properties is necessary to comprehensively evaluate the current status on soil quality of the area.

Keywords: anthropogenic, natural resources, physicochemical properties, rapid site assessment, sustainability.