ABSTRACT:
Several forms of the universal soil loss equation, along with the ANSWERS hydrologic/erosion model were used to estimate soil erosion on topographically non-uniform field and farm units on two farms in Indiana. Both soil loss at a point and average soil loss along a landscape profile were used to estimate erosion. Soil loss estimates using USLE methods were aggregated to obtain field and farm averages. ANSWERS was included because it computes erosion over topographically non-uniform areas. Sampling density was critical for the USLE methods, while element size was critical for ANSWERS. With sufficiently dense sampling, each USLE method gave similar results, but the method that estimated average erosion on the landscape profiles required the fewest sampling points. The ANSWERS and USLE results, although different, were comparable considering the differences in prediction techniques.
Footnotes
M. L. Griffin is a graduate research instructor in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907. D. B. Beasley, formerly an associate professor, Purdue University, is now head of the Department of Agricultural Engineering at the Coastal Experiment Station, University of Georgia, Tifton, 31793. J. J. Fletcher is an assistant professor, in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. G. R. Foster, formerly a hydraulic engineer with the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a professor in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Purdue University, is now head of the Department of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 55108. The authors appreciate the contributions of Soil Conservation Service personnel, including R. L. Eddleman, W. E. Weber, H. R. Sinclar, IT., L. A. Kelly, and A.L. Mumma. This work was supported by USDA-ARS Cooperative Agreement 58-5114-4-6014 and by the Indiana Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University. Approved for publication as Purdue Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Paper No. 11-168.
- Copyright 1988 by the Soil and Water Conservation Society
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