Enhancing RUSLE to include runoff‐driven phenomena

RUSLE2 (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) is the most recent in the family of Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)/RUSLE/RUSLE2 models proven to provide robust estimates of average annual sheet and rill erosion from a wide range of land use, soil, and climatic conditions. RUSLE2's capabilities have been expanded over earlier versions using methods of estimating time‐varying runoff and process‐based sediment transport routines so that it can estimate sediment transport/deposition/delivery on complex hillslopes. In this report we propose and evaluate a method of predicting a series of representative runoff events whose sizes, durations, and timings are estimated from information already in the RUSLE2 database. The methods were derived from analysis of 30‐year simulations using a widely accepted climate generator and runoff model and were validated against additional independent simulations not used in developing the index events, as well as against long‐term measured monthly rainfall/runoff sets. Comparison of measured and RUSLE2‐predicted monthly runoff suggested that the procedures outlined may underestimate plot‐scale runoff during periods of the year with greater than average rainfall intensity, and a modification to improve predictions was developed. In order to illustrate the potential of coupling RUSLE2 with a process‐based channel erosion model, the resulting set of representative storms was used as an input to the channel routines used in Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural Management Systems (CREAMS) to calculate ephemeral gully erosion. The method was applied to a hypothetical 5‐ha field cropped to cotton in Marshall County, MS, bisected by a potential ephemeral gully having channel slopes ranging from 0·5 to 5% and with hillslopes on both sides of the channel with 5% steepness and 22·1 m length. Results showed the representative storm sequence produced reasonable results in CREAMS indicating that ephemeral gully erosion may be of the same order of magnitude as sheet and rill erosion. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

[1]  Colorado Colorado,et al.  AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS , 2010 .

[2]  R. F. Cullum,et al.  How Management of Grass Hedges Affects their Erosion Reduction Potential , 2009 .

[3]  Richard H. Hawkins,et al.  Curve Number Hydrology : State of the Practice , 2008 .

[4]  Andrew Simon,et al.  Conservation practice effects on sediment load in the Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed , 2008, Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.

[5]  Chris S. Renschler,et al.  Implementing quality control on a random number stream to improve a stochastic weather generator , 2008 .

[6]  Ronald L. Bingner,et al.  Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed: A Historical Perspective , 2007 .

[7]  Ronald L. Bingner,et al.  SIMULATING EPHEMERAL GULLY EROSION IN ANNAGNPS , 2007 .

[8]  John S. Tyner,et al.  CONSERVATION PLANNING FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES , 2007 .

[9]  Jeffrey G. Arnold,et al.  Model Evaluation Guidelines for Systematic Quantification of Accuracy in Watershed Simulations , 2007 .

[10]  Vijay P. Singh,et al.  Enhanced Runoff Curve Number Model Incorporating Storm Duration and a Nonlinear I~a-S Relation , 2006 .

[11]  R. Bingner,et al.  Goodwin Creek Experimental Watershed – Effect of Conservation Practices on Sediment Load , 2006 .

[12]  David C. Garen,et al.  CURVE NUMBER HYDROLOGY IN WATER QUALITY MODELING: USES, ABUSES, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS 1 , 2005 .

[13]  George,et al.  MODELING EPHEMERAL GULLY EROSION FOR CONSERVATION PLANNING , 2005 .

[14]  Chris S. Renschler,et al.  Designing geo‐spatial interfaces to scale process models: the GeoWEPP approach , 2003 .

[15]  J. Poesen,et al.  Gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs , 2003 .

[16]  R. Daren Harmel,et al.  The Gem Experience: Weather Generator Technology Development in the USDA , 2002 .

[17]  Bofu Yu,et al.  Using CLIGEN to generate RUSLE climate inputs , 2002 .

[18]  J. Quinton,et al.  Development of an ephemeral gully erosion model:the role of undercutting in bank failure of small channels , 2001 .

[19]  L. M. Risse,et al.  USLE-M : Empirical modeling rainfall erosion through runoff and sediment concentration , 1998 .

[20]  Bernard L. Golding,et al.  Discussions and Closure: Runoff Curve Number: Has It Reached Maturity? , 1997 .

[21]  Bernard L. Golding.  Discussion of "Runoff Curve Number: Has It Reached Maturity?" , 1997 .

[22]  Roger E. Smith.  Discussion of “Runoff Curve Number: Has It Reached Maturity?” by Roger E. Smith , 1997 .

[23]  G. R. Foster,et al.  Predicting soil erosion by water : a guide to conservation planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) , 1997 .

[24]  James C. Ascough,et al.  The WEPP watershed model : I. Hydrology and erosion , 1997 .

[25]  G. R. Foster,et al.  Effect of land use changes on sediment transport in Goodwin Creek , 1996 .

[26]  Clayton L. Hanson,et al.  Stochastic Weather Simulation: Overview and Analysis of Two Commonly Used Models , 1996 .

[27]  Billy J. Barfield,et al.  Design Hydrology and Sedimentology for Small Catchments , 1994 .

[28]  Peter B. Hairsine,et al.  Modeling water erosion due to overland flow using physical principles: 1. Sheet flow , 1992 .

[29]  A. Hjelmfelt.  Investigation of Curve Number Procedure , 1991 .

[30]  D. Woodward,et al.  Ephemeral Gully Erosion Model (EGEM) , 1988 .

[31]  Vijay P. Singh,et al.  Rainfall-runoff relationship , 1982 .

[32]  W. H. Wischmeier,et al.  Predicting rainfall erosion losses : a guide to conservation planning , 1978 .

[33]  W. H. Wischmeier,et al.  Predicting rainfall-erosion losses from cropland east of the Rocky Mountains , 1965 .

[34]  M. Selim Yalin,et al.  An Expression for Bed-Load Transportation , 1963 .

[35]  Leo R Beard,et al.  Statistical Methods in Hydrology , 1962 .

[36]  R. Palmer.  American Society of Agricultural Engineers Status changed from an Associated to an Affiliated Society, AAAS , 1953 .