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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #412072
Research Project: Linkages Between Crop Production Management and Sustainability in the Central Mississippi River Basin

Location: Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research

Title: Evaluating seasonal R-factor values based on modern rainfall data to account for seasonal land cover conditions

Author
item THOMPSON, ALLEN - University Of Missouri
item PHUNG, QUANG - University Of Missouri
item Baffaut, Claire
item MCGEHEE, RYAN - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Soil and Water Conservation Society International Annual Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2024
Publication Date: 7/21/2024
Citation: Thompson, A., Phung, Q., Baffaut, C., Mcgehee, R. 2024. Evaluating seasonal R-factor values based on modern rainfall data to account for seasonal land cover conditions [abstract]. Soil and Water Conservation Society International Annual Conference, July 21-24, 2024, Mrytle Beach, South Carolina. p. 19

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Soil Vulnerability Index (SVI) classification has been observed to align with watershed model-based classifications across various watershed conditions when most soil erosion occurs during the growing season. However, when winter and summer precipitation are of similar magnitude and winter land cover is poor, we observed discrepancies between SVI and model-based classifications, with SVI under-estimating vulnerability on flatter slopes and over-estimating on steeper slopes. This suggests that improved SVI classification could be achieved by including some aspects of precipitation characteristics. Results based on a limited number of watershed model simulations found sediment loss to be more consistently related to precipitation than historical RUSLE2 R-values, with the relationship between sediment loss and RUSLE2-R-values varying with seasonal conditions. This presentation investigates the use of modern rainfall data to calculate seasonal R-values and relate them to seasonal sediment loss risk, which may be useful in improving the SVI classification.