Comparison of EUROSEM, WEPP, and MEDRUSH model calculations with measured runoff and soil‐loss data from rainfall simulations in Hungary

Abstract

AbstractA useful method to evaluate the effectiveness of soil‐erosion models is to compare the models' soil‐loss and runoff calculations with measured data from experimental plots subjected to artificial rainfall. This study was conducted to develop a set of statistics to compare the performance of the soil‐erosion models EUROSEM, WEPP, and MEDRUSH. Rainfall (six rainfall intensities, two replicates), runoff, and soil‐loss data from artificial plots at two locations in Hungary were used to assess the accuracy of the different models. The soil types within the plots represented a wide range of soil properties and are soil types that are commonly used for agriculture. The results showed that the three soil‐erosion models performed with varying effectiveness dependent on basic soil properties. However, statistical analysis showed the EUROSEM model to be the best for estimating soil loss in Hungary.