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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #80522
Title: USE OF THE USDA-WEPP MODEL FOR LAND MANAGEMENT

Author
item Flanagan, Dennis
item Laflen, John
item Norton, Lloyd

Submitted to: American Geophysical Union
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model has been developed by the United States Department of Agriculture as a new generation of erosion prediction technology to replace the Universal Soil Loss Equation. WEPP is a process-based, distributed parameter, continuous simulation, erosion prediction model that can be applied to small watersheds and hillslope profiles. A major use planned for WEPP is the evaluation and siting of various soil conservation practices for a variety of land management areas, including cropland, rangeland, forests, and construction sites. The model was delivered to the major federal action agencies (NRCS, FS, BLM) and the public in 1995, and is currently available through the Internet and on a multimedia CD-ROM. The WEPP technology includes a stochastic weather generator that allows creation of simulated climate at any location in the United States. Physical processes that are simulated include infiltration, runoff, soil detachment by raindrops and by flowing water, sediment transport, sediment deposition, plant growth, residue decomposition, soil disturbance by tillage implements, and irrigation. Large databases for soils, climate stations, tillage implements, and crops are available. Model components, validation results, and current development efforts will be briefly described. Results from WEPP simulation runs will demonstrate the power of the model in evaluation of the impacts of various land management practices on soil erosion and sediment delivery.