## 5 Conclusions  
In this study, the critical and common issue of the soil erosion process and its significant impact on agricultural productivity and water resource management in the Wadi Haly catchment, Saudi Arabia, are emphasized, demonstrating that both human and natural factors contribute to soil erosion, which adversely affects local economies and ecosystems. The increasing sediment deposition resulting from soil erosion poses serious challenges for areas both upstream and downstream of the study site. Through a comprehensive analysis, we categorized the sub-catchments into three distinct priority classes for soil erosion management by employing several effective parameters of morphometry, including basic parameters, linear parameters, relief parameters, and areal parameters. Utilizing geospatial analysis and mathematical computations, we identified the sub-catchments most at risk for soil erosion, calculating a compound factor derived from multiple morphometric metrics such as total area, perimeter, stream length, relief ratio, and drainage density, which provided a holistic assessment of each catchment's vulnerability. This classification revealed high-priority areas for intervention, specifically sub-catchments 1, 7, 11, 12, and 13, which require immediate management strategies to mitigate soil loss, while sub-catchments 3, 8, 9, 10, and 15 were identified as lower priority, reflecting a differentiated approach to resource allocation and management efforts. The immediate application of conservation practices is crucial in high-priority areas, where implementing strategies such as contour bunding, terracing, and vegetative cover can substantially reduce erosion risk. Additionally, this study acknowledges the potential limitations posed by using 12.5 m resolution data, which could have affected the precision and specificity of morphometric assessments; thus, we recommend that future research utilize higher-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) to enhance the accuracy of erosion vulnerability assessments, facilitating a more reliable representation of fine-scale geomorphological features critical for understanding erosion dynamics. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of integrating remote sensing and GIS technologies to test erosion-prone spots and quantify soil erosion process rates effectively, equipping land managers with targeted plans informed by rigorous morphometric analysis to enhance soil and water conservation strategies that safeguard vital resources and promote sustainable agricultural practices in the Wadi Haly catchment.  
Conceptualization, B.B. and A.A.; methodology, B.B. and A.A.; software, B.B. and A.A.; validation, B.B. and A.A.; formal analysis, B.B. and A.A.; investigation, B.B. and A.A.; resources, B.B. and A.A.; data curation, A.A.; writing--original draft preparation, A.A.; writing--review and editing, A.A.; visualization, B.B. and A.A.; supervision, B.B. and A.A.; project administration, B.B. and A.A.; funding acquisition, B.B. and A.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research was supported by the Researchers Supporting Project, Grant number (RSP2024R296), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  
These data were obtained and download from the following sources available in the public domain: ([[https://search.asf.alaska.edu/website](https://search.asf.alaska.edu/website)]([https://search.asf.alaska.edu/website](https://search.asf.alaska.edu/website)) (accessed on 12 April 2024) and ([[https://sgs.gov.sa/en](https://sgs.gov.sa/en)]([https://sgs.gov.sa/en](https://sgs.gov.sa/en)) (accessed on 3 April 2024)).  
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.