Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #186323
Title: USING FIRST ORDER WATERSHED TO UNDERSTAND POTENTIAL SEDIMENT SOURCES

Author
item Ritchie, Jerry
item McCarty, Gregory
item VENTERIS, ERIK - US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY-OHIO
item Owens, Lloyd

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/2005
Publication Date: 12/5/2005
Citation: Ritchie, J.C., McCarty, G.W., Venteris, E.R., Owens, L.B. 2005. Using first order watershed to understand potential sediment sources [abstract]. American Geophysical Union Abstracts. H51E-0408.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Patterns of soil erosion vary across the landscape especially for agricultural areas where different management strategies are use to minimize water, wind, and tillage erosion that tend to redistribute soils. This study used fallout Cs-137 to determine rates and patterns of soil redistribution on 19 first order research watersheds at the USDA ARS North Appalachian Experimental Watershed (NAEW) at Coshocton, Ohio. These small watersheds have been managed and monitored since 1935. Management practices include conventional tillage, no-tillage, managed pasture, natural meadows, and combinations of these management practices. Soil erosion rates differed significantly between management practices with natural meadows having the lowest soil erosion rates followed by pastures, no-tillage and conventional tillage. These studies show the impact of soil redistribution patterns within small watersheds between management practices, and aid in understanding soil erosion patterns and identifying sources of sediment related to management practices.