The soil erosion risk in Harve 1 microwatershed of Chamarajnagar district, Karnataka, India was studied using CORINE model (Coordination of Information on the Environment). The input data for CORINE model was determined from soil survey data (soil erodibility, Topography and vegetation cover) and monthly meteorological data (erosivity) respectively. The soil map consists 15 series of Alfisols and Inceptisols with 37 phases. . Sixty eight per cent of area in watershed had loamy sand (39.39%) and sandy loam (29.46%) textures with moderate soil erodibility. The erosivity was calculated from the ratings of Modified Fournier index (MFI) and Bagnouls - Gaussen aridity index from climatic data over a period of 55 years. The study area has mean MFI of 141 and mean BGI of 169 to define as very dry. Both were rated as high to yield erosivity of more than 12. The study area had nearly level to very gently sloping granitic lands to generate potential soil erosion risk map. The results showed that the Harve 1 microwatershed has 52.06% of area at high erosion risk (267.35ha), 26.69% of area under moderate risk (138.09 ha) and low risk at10.52%. The land cover map showed that 55.45 per cent of area is fully protected area (forest, dense shrub etc) with high actual soil erosion risk in 33.05% of total area.

Keywords: Soil erodibility; Corine model; Modified fournier index; Aridity index; Soil erosion risk; Hot moist semiarid ecosystem.