Soil Erosion Estimation
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Transcript Soil Erosion Estimation
Soil Erosion Estimation
TSM 352
Land and Water
Management Systems
Soil Erosion
Predicting Soil Loss
Plot scale models (Net erosion, only water erosion)
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Small watershed scale model (Net erosion)
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USLE – “Universal” Soil Loss Equation (AH 537, 1978)
MUSLE – Modified USLE (Williams, 1981)
RUSLE – Revised USLE (AH 703, 1996)
WEPP – water erosion prediction project
More process-oriented, including parameters like
biomass, plant height, canopy cover, temporal variations,…
Medium watershed models (Gross erosion)
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Radioisotope tracer models - 137Cs, 210Pb, 7Be,…
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USLE
Describes erosion as a function of:
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Rainfall energy and intensity
Soil properties : erodibility
Topography: slope length and steepness
Soil cover
Conservation practices
Based on 10,000 plot years of data
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USLE
A = RK(LS)(C).(P)
A = Estimated soil loss in tons/acre/yr
R = Rainfall erosivity factor, expressed by an average erosion index
K = Soil erodibility factor for specific soil horizon
LS = Topographic factor,
L = Slope length factor: ratio of loss from a given slope length to soil loss
from a 72.6 ft length under the same conditions
S = Slope steepness factor: ratio of loss from a 9% under the same
conditions
C = Cover management factor: soil loss relative to that from a
continuously fallow area
P = Support practice factor: soil loss relative to straight row farming
up- and downhill
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The USLE Equation: R Factor
Rainfall and runoff erosivity factor (R)
Varies with:
o amount of runoff
o individual storm precipitation patterns
Characterizes:
o The kinetic energy raindrop impact (E)
o Maximum 30-min storm intensity (I)
An annual erosivity index for a location is
determined by:
Summing up E x I for all storms (n)
The average annual rainfall and runoff erosivity
index (R) = (sum of E x I) / n
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Soil Erodibility Factor (K)
Susceptibility of soil to erosion
soil loss measured on a series of soils on a unit plot with
“worst case” conditions
72.6 ft long
9% slope
continuously tilled and fallow
assumed constant all year
Result of unit plot experiments
Nomograph based on:
soil texture / structure / permeability
Most erodible soils with high silt contents
Least erodible soils with high organic matter / strong
subsoil structure / high permeabilities
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Soil Erodibility Factor (K)
Equation to calculate K
K = [2.1x10-4 (12 – OM) M1.14 + 3.25(S – 2) + 2.5(P – 3)] / 100
o K = Soil erodibility in tons/ac/unit rainfall index
o OM = Percent organic matter
o M = (%MS + %VFS)(100 - %CL)
o MS = percent silt (0.002 – 0.05 mm)
o VFS = percent of very fine sand (0.05 – 0.1 mm)
o CL = percent clay (< 0.002 mm)
o S = Structure index (very fine granular = 1; fine granular = 2; medium or coarse granular
= 3; blocky, platy, or massive = 4)
o P = Permeability index (rapid = 1; moderate to rapid = 2; moderate = 3; slow to
moderate = 4; slow = 5; very slow = 6)
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Topographic Factor (LS)
Adjusts erosion rates for:
o greater erosion on longer / steeper slopes
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less erosion on shorter / flatter slopes
when compared to the the USLE standard of:
o 9% slope
o 72.6 length
Slope length measured from:
o top of ridge to the outlet channel
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top of ridge to where deposition begins
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Topographic Factor (LS)
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Topographic Factor - LS Factor
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Cover Management Factor (C)
C = integration of several factors
vegetation cover
crop rotations
length of growing season
land management (tillage practices)
Conventional tillage leaves the surface bare therefore susceptible to
erosion
Conservation tillage leaves residue on surface protects the soil from
rainfall impact : reduces sheet and rill erosion
residue management
soil surface
binding of plant roots
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Types of Tillage
T i l l a g e : the mechanical
modification of soil
structure
Classified by amount of
residue left
Conventional (CT):
<15%
Conservation (CM):
>30%
No-till (NT)
Alternating (AT)
University of Wisconsin, 2012.
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Cover Management Factor
For forest, rangeland and other non-agricultural lands C
factors based on:
density of vegetation
vegetative residue on the soil surface
For disturbed bare soil C = 1.0
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Cover Management Factor
No-till planting into corn residue
Conservation (mulch) tillage using a chisel plow
No-till soybeans growing in wheat stubble
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Support Practice Factor (P)
P = Effect of erosion control practices
Practices besides vegetation management
Practices characterized by P are:
o strip cropping
o contouring
o terraces
P varies greatly with slope gradient
For many applications, no erosion control
practices are used 1.0
No experimental data for forests and
rangelands
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Support Practice (P) Factor
Contouring
Terrace/Diversion,
Grassed waterway
Strip systems
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Example
Determine the average annual soil loss for the following
conditions: location is Champaign, Illinois; soil is
Drummer silt clay loam (“the official state soil of
Illinois”); l = 300-ft; s = 5%; spring corn-soybean rotation
with conservation tillage; and the field has contoured
strip cropping conservation practice.
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Wind erosion
Important especially in arid regions
Dependent on
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Wind speed and exposure
Soil particle- and aggregate sizes
Surface roughness
Tillage
Surface roughness creates turbulence in
the surface-near air layer →
Under pressure sucks particles in the air
Form of movement:
< 0.1 mm → Suspension (“dust storm”)
< 1 mm → Saltation (“jumping”)
> 1mm → Creep (“rolling”)
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Questions?