Use and misuse of the K factor equation in soil erosion modeling: An alternative equation for determining USLE nomograph soil erodibility values

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

AUERWALD, K.

Lehrstuhl für Grünlandlehre, Technische Univ., München, Allemagne

FIENER, P.

Inst. für Geographie, Univ., Augsburg, Allemagne

MARTIN, W.

Bayerisches Landesamt für Umwelt, Augsburg, Allemagne

ELHAUS, D.

Geologischer Dienst Nordrhein-Westfalen, Krefeld, Allemagne

Description :
The K factor of the Universal Soil Loss Equation is the most important measure of soil erodibility that was adopted in many erosion models. The K factor can be estimated from simple soil properties by a nomograph. Later, the classical K factor equation was published to assist the calculation of K. This equation, however, does not fully agree with the nomograph, which still has to be used in these deviating cases. Here the AA. show for a large soil data set from Central Europe (approximately 20,000 soil analyses) that the equation fails in considerably more than 50% of all cases. The failure can be large and may amount to half of the K factor. To facilitate the K factor calculation, the AA. developed a set of equations that fully emulates the nomograph and supersedes the cumbersome reading of the nomograph.

Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Catena (Giessen), issn : 0341-8162, 2014, n°. 118, p. 220-225, nombre de pages : 6, Références bibliographiques : 35 ref.

Date :
2014

Editeur :
Pays édition : Allemagne, Cremlingen-Destedt, Catena

Langue :
Anglais