Predicting Soil Loss

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1. At what length does < 400 feet (cutoff up to 1000 feet for 14. how should soil loss from channels, by calculating the
surface runoff use in RUSLE) gullies and similar types of erosion be annual volume of
usually determined? soil removed from
concentrate? eroded area and
then multiplying by
2. at what slope length 15 feet
unit weight of soil
is rill erosion
assumed to begin? 15. how to approximate where deposition 1. calculate the
ends ratio of the slope
3. at what wind speed 13 mph
steepness at the
does soil movement
end to the slope
begin?
steepness where
4. effect of concave greater than that of a uniform slope deposition begins
slope on soil loss 2. subtract from 1.0
5. effect of convex less than that of a uniform slope 3. multiply
slope on soil loss difference by
distance from
6. Equation for S with S = 10.8 sin θ + 0.03
where deposition
slope steepness <
begins to end of
9%
slope
7. Equation for S with S = 16.8 sin θ - 0.50 4. add product to
slope steepness >= distance where
9% deposition begins
8. Factors of universal 1. Rainfall and runoff erosiveness 16. how to form new, less erodible surface - spray water to
soil loss equation 2. Cover management practices compact and
3. Slope steepness weight the soil
4. Slope length particles
5. Support conservation practices - apply a chemical
6. Soil erodibility dust suppressant
9. gross erosion from 1. wind or soil binder to
what should be 2. water form a crust or
estimated for the bind the top soil
entire area before particles together
disturbance? - establish
vegetation
10. how do control 1. by reducing wind speed on soil
systems for wind surface 17. how to minimize effect of incorrect calculate erosion
erosion work? 2. by forming new, less erodible field measurements of slope length for several slope
surface length and average
the results
11. how do soil particles 1. suspension
move in wind? 2. saltation 18. how to reduce wind speed at surface - cover pile with a
3. surface creep wind-impervious
fabric or similar
12. How is sediment Erosion from slopes, channel, and material
yield determined? mass wasting, minus the sediment that - erect windscreen
is deposited after it is eroded but - change pile
before it reaches the point of interest orientation and
13. How is slope In the field by use of a clinometer, shape
steepness Abney level, or similar device; may 19. if area has two or more definite True
determined? be estimated from contour maps changes in soils, slopes or erosion
having 2-ft contour intervals if conditions, separate calculations
considerable care used should be made for portions of
significant size and added together to
provided composite soil loss. T/F?
20. In what locations is States east of the Rocky Mountains 32. surface creep movement of large sand particles along
a rainfall factor the ground surface; wind rolls particles
applied to the dislodged due to saltation
universal soil loss
33. Surface soil "A" layer; the upper part of a natural
equation?
horizon (i.e., topsoil); generally dark in
21. Maximum 5 tons per acre color and is 0-10 inches thick
permissible soil
34. suspension when very fine soil particles and
loss for any soil
aggregates are carried high into the air;
22. MUSLE equation T = 95(V x Qp)^0.56 x K x LS x C x P only a small percentage of soil lost due
to wind erosion
23. On a long uniform At the bottom of the slope
slope, where is soil 35. topographic represents ratio of soil loss on a given
loss worse? factor (LS) slope length and steepness to soil loss
from a slope that has a length of 72.6 ft
24. practices used to - ridging to trap soil particles and
and a steepness of 9%, where all other
make soil surface decrease surface area exposed to
conditions are the same
conditions less maximum wind velocity
erodible - turning over soil to increase 36. What are the 72.6 feet long, 9% slope, and is
cloddiness characteristics continuously clean-tilled fallow condition
- irrigating to increase cohesiveness of the unit plot? with tillage performed upslope and
and weight of oil particles to decrease downslope
detachability
37. What are the Impact from raindrops and from water
- growing vegetation to add organic
major forces in flowing over the land surface
matter and increase aggregation in
erosion by
surface area
water?
- using vegetation as surface cover
38. What does the Sediment Yield
25. purpose of 'C' used to reflect effect of management
USLE estimate
factor practices on erosion rates, and is factor
that the RUSLE
most often used to compare relative
does not?
impacts of cover management options
39. What factor(s) in The L and S factors; AKA the Topographic
26. Relationship Erosion increases as slope length
RUSLE takes Factor
between erosion increases
topography into
and slope length
account?
27. saltation movement of intermediate size
40. What has more Slope steepness
particles that are lifted a short distance
influence on soil
into the air and then fall back to
loss, slope
dislodge more soil; accounts for over
steepness or
1/2 of soil movement
slope length?
28. Sediment yield the amount of eroded soil that is
41. What is a high K Soils that are easily detached (i.e., silt
delivered to a point in the watershed
value associated loam soils, soils with high silt content);
that is remote from the original of the
with? typically K > 0.4
detached soil particles
42. What is "A" in Computed spatial average soil loss and
29. soil loss ratio (SLR) an estimate of the ratio of soil loss
the RUSLE? temporal average soil loss per unit of
under actual conditions to losses
area (typically tons/acre)
experiences under reference conditions
43. What is a low K Soils that are resistant to detachment (i.e.,
30. Subsoil "B" layer; located between the surface
value associated clays, coarse textured soils); typically K <
soil and the parent material; 10-26
with? 0.2
inches thick
31. Substratum "C" layer; the upper part of the parent
material; 26-60 inches thick
44. what is 'C' deviation from a standard: loose, smooth, bare 57. What is the best way Pacing or measuring in the field
factor slope to determine slope
based length?
on?
58. What is the effect of reduces erodibility because it
45. What is Cover-management factor: the ratio of soil loss organic material on reduces the susceptibility of the soil
"C" in the from an area with specified cover and erodibility? to detachment, and it increases
RUSLE? management to soil loss from an identical area in infiltration, which reduces runoff and
a bare condition thus erosion
46. What is m = β/(1+β) 59. What is the equation L = (γ*72.6)^m
equation for slope length?
for 'm'?
60. what is the equation S = 3.0 (sin θ)^0.8 + 0.56
47. What is Soil erodibility factor: the soil-loss rate per for slope steepness
"K" in the erosion index unit for a specified soil on slopes shorter
RUSLE? than 15 feet?
48. What is Slope length factor: ratio of soil loss from the 61. What is the RUSLE? A=RxKxLxSxCxP
"L" in the field slope length to soil loss from a 72.6 ft
62. What is the RUSLE Long term soil loss averages
RUSLE? length under identical conditions
better at predicting:
49. what is a variable slope-length exponent; it related to long term soil loss
'm' in the ratio β of rill erosion (caused by flow) to inter-rill averages or specific
slope erosion (principally caused by raindrop impact) events?
length
63. what is values of LS at 1.0
equation?
slope length of 72.6 ft
50. what is Modified Universal Soil-Loss Equation; calculates and steepness of 9%?
MUSLE? sediment yield in a watershed to a specific
64. what is V in MUSLE volume of runoff due to storm event
location for a specific storm event
equation? (ac-ft)
51. What is Erosion control practice factor: the ratio of soil
65. What is γ in the slope actual slope length
"P" in the loss with certain conservation practice to that of
length equation?
RUSLE? no practice
66. what is θ? slope angle
52. What is Rainfall-runoff erosivity factor: rainfall erosion
"R" in the index plus a factor for any significant runoff from 67. What must a rainfall Cumulative effects of many
RUSLE? snowmelt factor used to moderate-sized storms as well as
estimate annual soil effects of occasional severe ones
53. what is an enhanced computer program that contains
loss include?
RUSLE 2? both empirical and process-based processes in a
Windows environment 68. What processes are Detachment, transport, and
involved in erosion deposition of soil particles
54. what is the longtime average annual soil loss (A) carried
and sedimentation by
RUSLE by runoff from specific slopes in specified
water?
designed management conditions
to 69. What should slope Horizontal distance (use rise over
predict? length of a steep run)
slope be converted
55. What is Slope steepness factor: ratio of soil loss from the
to?
"S" in the field slope gradient to soil loss from a 9% slope
RUSLE? under otherwise identical conditions 70. what units should whole tons per acre
losses be stated in?
56. What is The horizontal distance from the origin of
slope overland flow to the point where (a) the slope 71. when can RUSLE be if area to be treated has fairly
length? gradient decreases enough that deposition used to determine uniform soil, slope and erosion
begins or (b) runoff becomes concentrated in a sheet and rill conditions
defined channel erosion?
72. when does wind erosion occur? on areas that are not adequately protected when high velocity winds blow across the land
73. when is 'm' zero? when deposition occurs in furrows between ridges and in depressions; soil loss is
independent of slope length
74. When should a constant value of 'm' be For erosion of thawing soil by surface flow along; 0.5
used, and what value?
75. When should 'm' be increased? when runoff, soil, cover, and management conditions indicate that the soil is highly
susceptible to rill erosion; likely on steep, freshly prepared construction slopes
76. when should total gross erosion be before and after planned BMPs
recorded?
77. Why are slope lengths estimated from Most maps do not have detail to indicate all concentrated flow areas that end RUSLE
contour maps usually too long? slope lengths