Chapter 3 Soil Erosion and Its

Controls
 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
• Soil erosion is the detachment and removal
of soil particles from the soil mass by
water or wind.

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
• Geologic erosion is the erosion under
natural or undisturbed condition. It is
called normal erosion or natural erosion
also.
• Accelerated erosion is the increased rate of
erosion over the geologic erosion brought
about by human’s activity.

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
• Soil erosion rate is the gross amount of soil
moved by water and wind.
• Soil loss is the soil moved off a particular s
lope or field.
• Sediment yield is soil loss delivered to a p
oint under evaluation.

Kirkby, M.J. and R.P.C. Morgan. Edited. Soil Erosion, Jo

hn Wiley & Sons.

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
Classification of erosion by eroding agents
• Water erosion
• Wind erosion

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
Classification of erosion by action
• Rain drops
• Shallow flows
• Concentrated flows

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
Classification of erosion by form
• Sheet erosion
• Rill erosion
• Gully erosion
• Channel erosion

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.1 Introduction
Classification of erosion by location
• Inter-rill erosion
• Rill erosion

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

General classification of erosion

Inter-rill erosion
Rill erosion
Water
Gully erosion
Channel erosion
Wind
Gravity Mass movement
Freezing and
thawing erosion
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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.2 Factors affecting erosion

• Climate R
• Soil K
• Topography LS
• Biological B
• Engineering E
• Tillage T

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.3 Measurement of soil erosion

• Microplots 1cm2
• Unit plot: 6ft72.6ft = 0.01 acre
• Large plots
• Small watersheds
<1000 km2
<200 km2
<50km2
• Hydrological stations
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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.4 Prediction of soil loss

• Scientific farm planning for soil and water
conservation requires knowledge of the
relations between those factors that cause
loss of soil and water and those that help
reduce such losses.
• Controlled studies on field plots and small
watershed have supplied much valuable
information.
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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.4 Prediction of soil loss

• Greatest benefits from such research can
be realized only when the finding are
converted to sound practice.
• Specific guidelines are needed fro
selecting the control practices.
• The soil loss prediction procedure provides
such guidelines.

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Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.5 Soil Loss Tolerances

The maximum level of soil erosion that

will permit a high level of crop productivit
y to be sustained economically and indefin
itely

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 Chapter 3  Soil erosion and its control

3.6 Models of soil erosion

• 1940, Zigg, A.W., Degree and length of land slo
pe as it effects soil loss I runoff
• 1965, Wischmeier, W.W., Universal soil loss eq
uation
• 1978, USLE
• 1980, CREAMS—Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosi
on from Agricultural Management Systems
• 1996, WEPP—Water Erosion Prediction Project
• 1997, RUSLE—Revised Universal Soil Loss Eq
uation
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