Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Northwest Sustainable Agroecosystems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #100621

Title: WIND EROSION AND FUGITIVE DUST FLUXES ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Author
item Saxton, Keith
item Chandler, David
item STETLER, LARRY - S. DAKOTA SCHOOL OF MINES
item CLAIBORN, CANDIS - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.
item LAMB, BRIAN - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.
item LEE, BU-HYUN - WASHINGTON STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: American Society of Agricultural Engineers
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/12/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: With recent emphasis of agricultural wind erosion and associated dust emissions impacting downwind air quality, there is an increased need for a prediction method to estimate dust emissions and concentrations on a wind event basis. Most current wind erosion methods predict average annual or seasonal erosion amounts, and only very approximate estimates of suspended dust emissions are available. A project in the Columbia Plateau of Easter Washington State was initiated to develop an empirical method to estimate dust emissions in this region. Field measurements, wind tunnel tests and laboratory analyses were combined to provide a wind erosion equation and a related vertical flux dust emission model. While based on measured data, the model has not been independently verified. When combined with a transport-dispersion model, estimates of downwind particulate concentrations compared reasonably with those measured.