Accounting for the influence of runoff on event soil erodibilities associated with the EI30 index in RUSLE2

Abstract

AbstractSoil erodibilities (K) associated with the EI30 index vary not only with soil properties but also with soil moisture as it varies in time and space. In Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation Version 2 (RUSLE2), temporal variations in soil erodibility in the USA are calculated using monthly precipitation and temperature as independent variables. KUM, the soil erodibility factor associated with the QREI30 index, varies independently of runoff and the product of KUM and the runoff ratio for the unit plot (QR1) provides an alternative to the temporally varying Ks currently used in predicting storm soil loss in RUSLE2. Comparisons were made between the product of QR1 and KUM and RUSLE2 Ks for representative storms at four locations representing the north to south variation in climate in the USA. Peak erosion associated with the current approach used in RUSLE2 was slightly higher at two locations and slightly lower at the other two locations. One other location, Morris, MN, provided an exception with the peak loss predicted by using the product of QR1 and KUM being 1.7 times that obtained using RUSLE2 Ks. In theory, average annual KUM values should be better related to soil properties than the average annual values of K frequently used when the average annual values of EI30 are used to predict soil loss. However, work has yet to be performed to determine how KUM varies directly with soil properties and in space and time. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.