An I30 focused approach to estimating event erosivity in Australia

Abstract

Storm erosivity in the Universal Soil Loss Equation is given by the product storm kinetic energy and the maximum intensity measured using a 30-minute window. In some locations, short-term rainfall data are not available to determine these two parameters well. Here it is shown that the estimated kinetic energy per unit quantity of rain for the rain that falls during the time the maximum 30-min rainfall amount is measured can be used, together with rainfall amount, to predict event kinetic energy and hence event erosivity at many locations in Australia. There may be merit in using this approach elsewhere where a lack of short-term rainfall data prevents event erosivity from being predicted accurately.