Author
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LARSON W E - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA |
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Lindstrom, Michael |
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Submitted to: American Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 4/3/1995 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: The prediction of soil erosion and the design of management practices for control of water erosion are usually based on long-term average climatic conditions. However, soil erosion amounts measured in long- term studies have generally been dominated by a few large storms. If annual water erosion amounts over time are ordered, the resulting distribution is an exponential relationship. We propose that management practices based on average climatic conditions will not provide adequate soil erosion control during catastrophic storms. Thus, practices such as conservation tillage with 30 percent residue cover may not be as effective in controlling soil erosion during catastrophic storms as predicted by current erosion technology. In conservation planning, more consideration should be given to the effect of catastrophic storms on soil erosion and to decide at what level of soil erosion protection (both on-site and off-site) is desired or feasible for catastrophic storms. Suggestions for on-site protection include construction of terraces, strip-cropping, grass waterways, or changes in crop rotations. To protect against off-site sediment damage, sediment traps and buffer strips of grass or trees can be planted in drainage ways. |
