A simulation model for unified interrill erosion and rill erosion on hillslopes

A mathematical model was developed for simulating runoff generation and soil erosion on hillslopes. The model is comprised of three modules: one for overland flow, one for soil infiltration, and one for soil erosion including rill erosion and interrill erosion. Rainfall and slope characteristics affecting soil erosion on hillslopes were analysed. The model results show that the slope length and gradient, time distribution rainfall, and distribution of rills have varying influence on soil erosion. Erosion rate increases nonlinearly with increase in the slope length; a long slope length leads to more serious erosion. The effect of the slope gradient on soil erosion can be both positive and negative. Thus, there exists a critical slope gradient for soil erosion, which is about 45° for the rate of erosion at the end of the slope and about 25° for the accumulated erosion. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurements of rill and gully erosion in Sicily

This article reports the results of a field investigation aimed to characterize the morphology of both rills monitored at Sparacia experimental area and two ephemeral gullies (EGs) located in the Tremamargi basin, Sicily, Italy. At first, the available literature data together with the measurements carried out in this investigation were used to show that the EG length is a key parameter for the estimation of the eroded volume. Then, the comparison among the pairs length and volume corresponding to measured rills, EGs and gullies showed that the exponent of the power relationship is independent of the channelized erosion type (rill, EG and gully), while a different scale factor has to be used for each erosion process. Finally, a single relationship applicable to all channelized erosion processes was deduced applying the dimensional analysis and the self‐similarity theory. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Factors affecting rill erosion of unpaved loess roads in China

This study explores factors that affect road surface erosion in a small watershed on the Loess Plateau. Global positioning system (GPS)‐assisted field surveys and geographical information system methods were applied. The results show that road surface rills in the watershed are more easily formed on main roads, which are disturbed by intensive human activities. Secondary unpaved road networks occupied the largest road surface area and contributed 49% of the total road surface rill volumes. Spatial analysis reveals that roads near residential areas or leading to other human‐disturbed land‐use types are at high risk of soil loss. In each road segment, slope gradient, road segment length and drainage area have impacts on surface rill formation and development. Among these factors, slope gradients have been verified as a controlling factor of rill erosion intensification. Both road segment length (R = 0.83, N = 82) and drainage area (R = 0.72 for road segment and 0.76 for upslope drainage areas, N = 82) significantly influence total road surface rill volumes. The interaction variable of road segment length multiplied by slope is more closely correlated with road segment soil loss than that of the independent variables alone. Linear equations composed of slope gradient, road segment length and upslope drainage area are proposed. The new equation performs much better at predicting surface soil loss from secondary road segments compared with the previous models, which have not considered upslope drainage areas. The relationships and equations from this study will be helpful for road erosion evaluation in a small watershed of the study area. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A non‐equilibrium sediment transport model for rill erosion

Sediment transport in rill flows exhibits the characteristics of non‐equilibrium transport, and the sediment transport rate of rill flow gradually recovers along the flow direction by erosion. By employing the concept of partial equilibrium sediment transport from open channel hydraulics, a dynamic model of rill erosion on hillslopes was developed. In the model, a parameter, called the restoration coefficient of sediment transport capacity, was used to express the recovery process of sediment transport rate, which was analysed by dimensional analysis and determined from laboratory experimental data. The values of soil loss simulated by the model were in agreement with observed values. The model results showed that the length and gradient of the hillslope and rainfall intensity had different influences on rill erosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The measurement and modelling of rill erosion at angle of repose slopes in mine spoil

The process of rill erosion causes significant amounts of sediment to be moved in both undisturbed and disturbed environments and can be a significant issue for agriculture as well as mining lands. Rills also often develop very quickly (from a single rainfall event to a season) and can develop into gullies if sufficient runoff is available to continue their development. This study examines the ability of a terrestrial laser scanner to quantify rills that have developed on fresh and homogeneous mine spoil on an angle of repose slope. It also examines the ability of the SIBERIA erosion model to simulate the rill's spatial and temporal behaviour. While there has been considerable work done examining rill erosion on rehabilitated mine sites and agricultural fields, little work has been done to examine rill development at angle of repose sites. Results show that while the overall hillslope morphology was captured by the laser scanner, with the morphology of the rills being broadly captured, the characteristics of the rills were not well defined. The digital elevation model created by the laser scanner failed to capture the rill thalwegs and tops of the banks, therefore delineating a series of ill defined longitudinal downslope depressions. These results demonstrate that an even greater density of points is needed to capture sufficient rill morphology. Nevertheless, SIBERIA simulations of the hillslope demonstrated that the model was able to capture rill behaviour in both space and time when correct model parameters were used. This result provides confidence in the SIBERIA model and its parameterization. The results demonstrate the sensitivity of the model to changes in parameters and the importance of the calibration process. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measuring rill erosion at plot scale by a drone‐based technology

The traditional direct method (i.e. metric ruler and rillmeter) of monitoring rill erosion at plot scale is time consuming and invasive because it modifies the surface of the rilled area. Measuring rill features using a drone‐based technology is considered a non‐invasive method allowing a fast field relief. In the experimental Sparacia area a survey by a quadricopter Microdrones md4‐200 was carried out, and this relief allowed the generation of a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), with a mesh size of 1 cm and a resolution elevation equal to 2 mm, for three plots (L, G and C) affected by rill erosion. At first for the experimental L plot, which is 44 m long, the rill features were surveyed by a ‘manual’ method which was carried out by drawing on the PC screen the rill paths obtained by a visual orthophoto interpretation. This manual method was not applicable for the plots in which rills of limited depth occurred and were not detectable. Then, for both L plot and the other experimental plots having a length ranging from 22 to 44 m, an ‘automatic’ extraction method of rills from DEM was applied. Using an appropriate calculation routine, a vector coverage of transects orthogonal to the main flow direction (i.e. the maximum slope steepness path) was generated. The intersection of each plot DEM with the transect coverage allowed to obtain both the cross sections and the main rill morphological features. For the L plot the comparison between the rill morphological features obtained by the two different methods (manual, automatic) was carried out. Finally, the length–volume relationship and a dimensionless relationship proposed in literature were tested for all studied experimental plots. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Loess erosion change modeling during heavy rainfall

A typical gully sub-basin with a complex geomorphological form is used to do a model test of gravity erosion of loess by considering the sequence of slopes in a prototype gully creating a sequence of underlying surface forms in the upper reaches. The results show that the runoff from heavy rainfall is the main external force for the erosion of loess, and also is an important influencing factor to stimulate and intensify the development of gravity erosion. The soil structure and the height of the...     

An automatic approach for rill network extraction to measure rill erosion by terrestrial and low‐cost unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry

For an erosion event (October 2016) occurred at the Sparacia experimental area (Southern Italy), both terrestrial and low‐altitude aerial surveys were carried out by consumer grade camera and quadcopter (low‐cost unmanned aerial vehicle [UAV]) to measure rill erosion on two plots with steepness of 22% and 26%. Applying the structure from motion (SfM) technique, the three‐dimensional digital terrain models (3D‐DTMs) and the quasi three‐dimensional models (2.5D‐digital elevation model [DEM]) were obtained by the two surveys. Furthermore, 3D‐DTM and DEM were built using the available aerial photographs (166) and adding 40 terrestrial photographs. For the first time, the convergence index was applied to high‐resolution rill data for extracting the rill network, and a subsequent separation into contributing and non‐contributing rills was carried out. The comparison among the three surveys (terrestrial, UAV, and UAV + terrestrial) was developed using two morphometric parameters of the rill network (drainage density and drainage frequency). Moreover, using as reference the weight of sediment stored on the tanks located downstream of the plots, the reliability of soil loss measurement by 3D models was tested. For both contributing and non‐contributing rills, the morphometric parameters were higher for the terrestrial than for UAV and UAV + terrestrial surveys. For both plots, SfM always provided reliable soil loss measurements, which were affected by errors ranging from ?8% to 13%. Although the applied technique used a low‐cost UAV and a consumer grade camera, the obtained results demonstrated that a reliable estimate of rill erosion can be obtained in an area of interest.     

Numerical modeling of surface runoff and erosion due to moving rainstorms at the drainage basin scale

A physically-based distributed erosion model (MEFIDIS) was applied to evaluate the consequences of storm movement on runoff and erosion from the Alenquer basin in Portugal. Controlled soil flume laboratory experiments were also used to test the model. Nine synthetic circular storms were used, combining three storm diameters (0.5, 1 and 2 times the Alenquer basin’s axial length) with three speeds of storm movement (0.5, 1 and 2 m/s); storm intensities were synthesized in order to maintain a constant rainfall depth of 50 mm. The model was applied to storms moving downstream as well as upstream along the basin’s axis. In all tests, downstream-moving storms caused significantly higher peak runoff (56.5%) and net erosion (9.1%) than did upstream-moving storms. The consequences for peak runoff were amplified as the storm intensity increased. The hydrograph shapes were also different: for downstream-moving storms, runoff started later and the rising limb was steeper, whereas for upstream moving storms, runoff started early and the rising limb was less steep. Both laboratory and model simulations on the Alenquer basin showed that the direction of storm movement, especially in case of extreme rainfall events, significantly affected runoff and soil loss.     

Partitioned by process: Measuring post-fire debris-flow and rill erosion with Structure from Motion photogrammetry

After wildfire, hillslope and channel erosion produce large amounts of sediment and can contribute significantly to long-term erosion rates. However, pre-erosion high-resolution topographic data (e.g. lidar) is often not available and determining specific contributions from post-fire hillslope and channel erosion is challenging. The impact of post-fire erosion on landscape evolution is demonstrated with Structure from Motion (SfM) Multi-View Stereo (MVS) photogrammetry in a 1 km² Idaho Batholith catchment burned in the 2016 Pioneer Fire. We use SfM-MVS to quantify post-fire erosion without detailed pre-erosion topography and hillslope transects to improve estimates of rill erosion at adequate spatial scales. Widespread rilling and channel erosion produced a runoff-generated debris-flow following modest precipitation in October 2016. We implemented unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based SfM-MVS to derive a 5 cm resolution digital elevation model (DEM) of the channel scoured by debris-flow. In the absence of cm-resolution pre-erosion topography, a synthetic surface was defined by the debris-flow scour's geomorphic signature and we used a DEM of Difference (DoD) to map and quantify channel erosion. We found 3467 ± 422 m³ was eroded by debris-flow scour. Rill dimensions along hillslope transects and Monte Carlo simulation show rilling eroded ~1100 m³ of sediment and define a volume uncertainty of 29%. The total eroded volume (4600 ± 740 m³) we measured in our study catchment is partitioned into 75% channel erosion and 25% rill erosion, reinforcing the importance of catchment size on erosion process-dominance. The deposit volume from the 2016 event was 5700 ± 1140 m³, indicating ~60% contribution from post-fire channel erosion. Dating of charcoal fragments preserved in stratigraphy at the catchment outlet, and reconstructions of prior deposit volumes provide a record of Holocene fire-related debris-flows at this site; results suggest that episodic wildfire-driven erosion (~6 mm/year) dominate millennial-scale erosion (~5 mm/Ka) at this site. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Amorphous silica mobilization by inter‐rill erosion: insights from rainfall experiments

Amorphous silica (ASi) carried in suspension by rivers is an important component in the global Si budget. Water erosion processes in cultivated catchments are likely to drive ASi delivery to the river system. However, no studies have investigated the controls on ASi mobilization by erosional processes in croplands. Rainfall experiments were performed on split fields (i.e. a part conventionally ploughed and a part under reduced tillage) to simulate ASi mobilization by inter‐rill erosion in croplands, and identify its dependency on soil, field and rainfall characteristics. The ASi content of the soil and the inter‐rill erosion rate were determined as the major controls on ASi mobilization. Variables such as tillage technique and crop type did not have a consistent direct or indirect effect. Inter‐rill erosion is clearly selective with respect to ASi, indicating association of ASi with the fine soil fraction and with soil organic carbon. Our experiments demonstrate that erosion increases due to human perturbation will increase the delivery of reactive Si to aquatic systems. We estimate that globally, c. 7% of all reactive Si that enters aquatic systems is derived from erosion of agricultural soils. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variation in the vertical zonality of erodibility and critical shear stress of rill erosion in China's Hengduan Mountains

Soil erodibility is an essential parameter used in soil erosion prediction. This study selected the Liangshan town watershed to quantify variation in the vertical zonality of rill erodibility (k_r) in China's ecologically fragile Hengduan Mountains. Soil types comprised of yellow–brown (soil A), purple (soil B), and dry-red (soil C) in a descending order of occurrence from the summit to the valley, which roughly corresponds to the vertical climate zone (i.e. cool-high mountain, warm-low mountain, and dry-hot valley sections) of the study area. With elevation, vertical soil zonality varied in both soil organic matter (SOM) content and soil particle-size fractions. A series of rill erosion-based scour experiments were conducted, using water discharge rates of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 mL min^-1. Additionally, detachment rates (Dr) were measured under three hydrological conditions (the drainage, saturation, and seepage treatments). Results show that both Dr and flow shear stress (Ʈ) values increased as discharge increased. As elevation increased, the k_r values decreased, while the vertical zonality of critical shear stress (Ʈ_c) values showed no obvious variation. The highest k_r values were observed during the seepage treatment, followed by the saturation treatment then drainage treatment, indicating that variation in vertical hydraulic gradients could significantly alter k_r values. This study also found that land-use types could also alter k_r and Ʈ_c values. Further research, however, is necessary to better quantify the effects of subsurface hydrological conditions and land-use types on k_r under different soil zonalities in China's Hengduan Mountains. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Numerical study of the effects of check dams on erosion and sedimentation in the Pachang River

Scouring and deposition processes resulting from variable rainfall and typhoon occurrence in tropical climatic conditions induce significant changes in the riverbeds of Taiwan. Along the Pachang River of western Taiwan, severe damage occurs during typhoons due to large and sudden variations in discharge, erosion, sediment transport and deposition. In order to simulate this process, the NETSTARS numerical modeling tool was used in the present paper. The influence of existing and planned check dam structures on flow control was also analyzed to determine their capacity to resist river erosion or to not be buried beneath sediments. Not only does the modeling tool allow calculation of the erosion-deposition behavior at the scale of the whole river, but it also provides local determination of the optimum location and characteristics such as foundation depth and lateral encroachment of future check dams. The results of a 10-year, long-term modeling simulation in terms of riverbed stability and scouring potential thus provide insights about unsafe future behavior at 4 sites. This numerical model provides a better general understanding and useful information for the optimal prevention of both the scouring damage and the burial related to sediment deposition with large changes in discharge and sediment transport.     

The changing dynamics of rill erosion on sloping farmland during the different growth stages of a maize crop

Rill erosion is a serious concern in the hilly region of China with purple soil, and maize is extensively cultivated in this region. Evaluations of the dynamic mechanisms of rill erosion in sloping farmland areas are particularly important during the maize growing season to determine whether rill erosion can occur. A new ridge tillage (RT) system was designed using local agricultural methods in China. Twelve artificial rainfall experiments were conducted in three 1 × 2 m experimental plots with a slope of 15°, which is a typical slope in the study area. The rainfall intensities were designated as 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm min^?1. The rainfall experiments were performed in the field to determine the characteristics of run‐off and sediment transport related to rill erosion processes during different stages of maize growth and to analyse how hydraulic parameters and the sediment yield of the rill erosion process are related. The results showed that rill flow patterns were mainly classified as subcritical transition flow during all the growth stages of maize. The effects of hydrodynamic parameters on the sediment yield were ordered as follows: Reynolds number > stream power > Froude number > shear stress. The total sediment yield varied by stage as follows: seedling stage > jointing stage > mature stage > tasseling stage. The sediment yield and run‐off rate exhibited a linear relationship that was well described at the hillslope scale. To initiate soil loss in sloping farmland areas with purple soil during the maize growing season, the critical hydrodynamic shear stress and stream power must be at least 46.505 Pa and 1.541 N m^?1 s^?1, respectively.     

Incipient motion conditions for single rock fragments in simulated rill flow

Laboratory experiments using simulated tilting rill channels with different bed roughnesses have been conducted to determine hydraulic conditions for incipient motion of single rock fragments lying on rill beds. These threshold conditions can be described by a modified Shields' entrainment parameter (θ_m) and relative depth (Z), adjusted for rill conditions. The negative relation found between θ_m and Z also fits steep (stream) channel data collected by other investigators. Plots of the classical Shields' entrainment parameter (θ) versus both relative depth and relative particle size also showed clear negative trends. Special care has been taken to avoid false relations that can arise between compound parameters. This occurs when the latter are not independent from each other because of their definitions.     

Weathering and erosion of fractured bedrock systems

We explore the contribution of fractures (joints) in controlling the rate of weathering advance for a low‐porosity rock by using methods of homogenization to create averaged weathering equations. The rate of advance of the weathering front can be expressed as the same rate observed in non‐fractured media (or in an individual block) divided by the volume fraction of non‐fractured blocks in the fractured parent material. In the model, the parent has fractures that are filled with a more porous material that contains only inert or completely weathered material. The low‐porosity rock weathers by reaction‐transport processes. As observed in field systems, the model shows that the weathering advance rate is greater for the fractured as compared to the analogous non‐fractured system because the volume fraction of blocks is < 1. The increase in advance rate is attributed both to the increase in weathered material that accompanies higher fracture density, and to the increase in exposure of surface of low‐porosity rock to reaction‐transport. For constant fracture aperture, the weathering advance rate increases when the fracture spacing decreases. Equations describing weathering advance rate are summarized in the ‘List of selected equations’. If erosion is imposed at a constant rate, the weathering systems with fracture‐bounded bedrock blocks attain a steady state. In the erosional transport‐limited regime, bedrock blocks no longer emerge at the air‐regolith boundary because they weather away. In the weathering‐limited (or kinetic) regime, blocks of various size become exhumed at the surface and the average size of these exposed blocks increases with the erosion rate. For convex hillslopes, the block size exposed at the surface increases downslope. This model can explain observations of exhumed rocks weathering in the Luquillo mountains of Puerto Rico. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA     

Methodological framework to select plant species for controlling rill and gully erosion: application to a Mediterranean ecosystem

Many studies attribute the effects of vegetation in reducing soil erosion rates to the effects of the above‐ground biomass. The effects of roots on topsoil resistance against concentrated flow erosion are much less studied. However, in a Mediterranean context, where the above‐ground biomass can temporarily disappear because of fire, drought or overgrazing, and when concentrated flow erosion occurs, roots can play an important role in controlling soil erosion rates. Unfortunately, information on Mediterranean plant characteristics, especially root characteristics, growing on semi‐natural lands, and knowledge of their suitability for gully erosion control is often lacking. A methodological framework to evaluate plant traits for this purpose is absent as well. This paper presents a methodology to assess the suitability of plants for rill and gully erosion control and its application to 25 plant species, representative for a semi‐arid Mediterranean landscape in southeast Spain. In this analysis determination of suitable plants for controlling concentrated flow erosion is based on a multi‐criteria analysis. First, four main criteria were determined, i.e. (1) the potential of plants to prevent incision by concentrated flow erosion, (2) the potential of plants to improve slope stability, (3) the resistance of plants to bending by water flow and (4) the ability of plants to trap sediments and organic debris. Then, an indicator or a combination of two indicators was used to assess the scores for the four criteria. In total, five indicators were selected, i.e. additional root cohesion, plant stiffness, stem density, the erosion‐reducing potential during concentrated flow and the sediment and organic debris obstruction potential. Both above‐ and below‐ground plant traits were taken into account and measured to assess the scores for the five indicators, i.e. stem density, sediment and organic debris obstruction potential, modulus of elasticity of the stems, moment of inertia of the stems, root density, root diameter distribution, root area ratio and root tensile strength. The scores for the indicators were represented on amoeba diagrams, indicating the beneficial and the weak plant traits, regarding to erosion control. The grasses Stipa tenacissima L. and Lygeum spartum L. and the shrub Salsola genistoides Juss. Ex Poir. amongst others, were selected as very suitable plant species for rill and gully erosion control. Stipa tenacissima can be used to re‐vegetate abandoned terraces as this species is adapted to drought and offers a good protection to concentrated flow erosion and shallow mass movements. Lygeum spartum can be used to vegetate concentrated flow zones or to obstruct sediment inflow to channels at gully outlets. Stipa tenacissima and Salsola genistoides can be used to stabilize steep south‐facing slopes. The methodology developed in this study can be applied to other plant species in areas suffering from rill and gully erosion. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hillslope runoff and erosion as affected by rolled erosion control systems: a field study

A replicated field study using rainfall simulation and overland flow application was conducted in central Oahu, Hawaii, on a clay‐dominated Oxisol with a 9% slope. Three main treatment groups were examined: a bare treatment, a group of four rolled erosion control systems (RECSs) with open weave designs, and a group of five randomly oriented fibre RECSs. A total of 1122 measurements of runoff and erosion were made to examine treatment differences and to explore temporal patterns in runoff and sediment flux. All erosion control systems significantly delayed the time required to generate plot runoff under both simulated rainfall (35 mm h^?1) and the more intense trickle flow application (114 mm h^?1). Once runoff was generated during the rainfall application phase, the bare treatment runoff coefficients were significantly lower than those from the two groups of RECSs, as surface seal disruption by rilling is inferred to have enhanced infiltration in the bare treatments. During the more intense phase of overland flow application, the reverse pattern was observed. Interrill contributing‐area roughness was reduced on the bare treatment, facilitating increased runoff to well‐developed rill networks. Meanwhile, the form roughness associated with the RECSs delayed interrill flow to the poorly organized rills that formed under some of the RECSs. Regardless of runoff variations between treatments, sediment output was significantly lower from all surfaces covered by RECSs. The median cumulative sediment output from the bare surfaces was 6·9 kg, compared with 1·2 kg from the open‐weave RECSs and 0·2 kg from the random‐fibre RECSs. The random‐fibre systems were particularly effective under the more stressful overland flow application phase, with 63 times less sediment eroded than the bare treatments and 12 times less than that from the open‐weave systems. Architectural design differences between the two groups of RECSs are discussed in light of their relation to erosion process dynamics and shear stress partitioning. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling water erosion in the Sahel: application of a physically based soil erosion model in a gentle sloping environment

Water is a major limiting factor in arid and semi‐arid agriculture. In the Sahelian zone of Africa, it is not always the limited amount of annual rainfall that constrains crop production, but rather the proportion of rainfall that enters the root zone and becomes plant‐available soil moisture. Maximizing the rain‐use efficiency and therefore limiting overland flow is an important issue for farmers. The objectives of this research were to model the processes of infiltration, runoff and subsequent erosion in a Sahelian environment and to study the spatial distribution of overland flow and soil erosion. The wide variety of existing water erosion models are not developed for the Sahel and so do not include the unique Sahelian processes. The topography of the Sahelian agricultural lands in northern Burkina Faso is such that field slopes are generally low (0–5°) and overland flow mostly occurs in the form of sheet flow, which may transport large amounts of fine, nutrient‐rich particles despite its low sediment transport capacity. Furthermore, pool formation in a field limits overland flow and causes resettlement of sediment resulting in the development of a surface crust. The EUROSEM model was rewritten in the dynamic modelling code of PCRaster and extended to account for the pool formation and crust development. The modelling results were calibrated with field data from the 2001 rainy season in the Katacheri catchment in northern Burkina Faso. It is concluded that the modified version of EUROSEM for the Sahel is a fully dynamic erosion model, able to simulate infiltration, runoff routing, pool formation, sediment transport, and erosion and deposition by inter‐rill processes over the land surface in individual storms at the scale of both runoff plots and fields. A good agreement is obtained between simulated and measured amounts of runoff and sediment discharge. Incorporating crust development during the event may enhance model performance, since the process has a large influence on infiltration capacity and sediment detachment in the Sahel. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.