Simulated multi-scale watershed runoff and sediment production based on GeoWEPP model

The runoff and sediment yield data from the Qiaozidonggou, Qiaozixigou, and Lu＇ergou watersheds, in the Loess Plateau of China are used to calibrate and validate the runoff and sediment yield simulated by GeoWEPP model of the WEPP Model at watershed scale. The indices of relative error, R, correlation coefficient, Re, and Nash-Suttcliffe efficiency coefficient Ens are used to evaluate the model fit. The eco-hydrological responses in the Luoyugou and Lu＇ergou watersheds are also forecast based on the WEPP Model. Meanwhile, the relation between vegetation pattern changes and sediment yield in the watershed is discussed, and the responses of runoff and sediment yield in the watersheds concerning forest growth stages are studied. The results show that the relative errors of simulated values of runoff and sediment yield are below 30%, the correlation coefficients axe above 0.90, and the Nash-Suttcliffe efficiency coefficients axe above 0.80. The simulation results present satisfactory performance, thus, the model could be used to simulate the runoff and sediment yield in these small watersheds. It is also observed that soil erosion tended to become severe as precipitation increased in the watershed, while soil erosion has a decreasing trend as forest cover increases and vegetation pattern is optimized. When the watershed is fully covered by forest, erosion and sediment yield are minimized. When the forest cover is about 30% and evenly distributed in the watershed, the erosion intensity is lower than if the forest cover is collectively distributed in the watershed. Erosion varies with different forest growth stages in the watershed; it is more serious at the young and near planting stage and is the smallest at the mature forest stage.     

Erosion mechanisms and sediment sources in a peatland forest after ditch cleaning

Ditch cleaning in drained peatland forests increases sediment loads and degrades water quality in headwater streams and lakes. A better understanding of the processes controlling ditch erosion and sediment transport in such systems is a prerequisite for proper peatland management. In order to relate hydrological observations to key erosion processes in headwater peatlands drained for forestry, a two‐year study was conducted in a nested sub‐catchment system (treated with ditch cleaning) and at two reference sites. The treated catchment was instrumented for continuous discharge and turbidity monitoring, erosion pin measurements of changes in ditch bed and banks and time‐integrated sampling of suspended sediment (SS) composition. The results showed that ditch cleaning clearly increased transient suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) and suspended sediment yields (SSYs), and resulted in temporary storage of loosely deposited organic sediment in the ditch network. After exhaustion of this sediment storage, subaerial processes and erosion from ditch banks became dominant in producing sediment for transport. Recorded SSCs were higher on the rising limbs of event hydrographs throughout the study period, indicating that SS transport was limited by availability of erosion‐prone sediment. A strong positive correlation (R² = 0.84, p < 0.001) between rainfall intensity (above a threshold of 1 mm h^?1) and average SSC obtained on the rising limb of hydrographs for the sub‐catchment showed that soil detachment from ditch banks by raindrop impact can directly increase SSC in runoff. At the main catchment outlet, variation in SSC was best explained (R² = 0.67, p < 0.05) by the linear combination of initial discharge (?), peak discharge (+) and the lag time from initial to peak discharge (?). Based on these factors, ditch cleaning slightly increased peak discharges and decreased transit times in the study catchment. The implications of the results for water pollution management in peatland forests are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地一次风蚀起沙观测试验

风蚀起沙对生态环境、人类健康及社会经济等具有很大的负面效应。利用美国Sensit公司生产的H11-LIN型风蚀传感器及贴地层风速梯度探测仪,对塔克拉玛干沙漠腹地塔中地区一次风蚀起沙过程进行了监测。结果表明：（1）风蚀起沙与微气象是一个互相影响互相制约的变化过程;（2）在此次观测试验过程中,我们观测到的最小起沙风速为6.0 m/s左右,同时发现起沙风速是一个变化的值,随着时间的延续呈现逐步增大的趋势,最小的起沙风速出现在风蚀开始发生的时候;（3）近地表风速廓线受沙粒运动影响明显,随着起沙量的增加,风速随高度变化的幅度增大,此时的风速廓线已不再遵循对数分布规律;（4）利用风蚀传感器测得塔中地区沙粒的临界起动摩擦速度为0.25 m/s,该值与经验公式估算的0.24 m/s非常接近,表明风蚀传感器在塔中地区具有较好的适用性;夏季塔中地区地表土壤湿度对风蚀起沙的阻碍作用可以忽略不计。 ?     

Analysis of formation and slope stability in Caofeidian Channel in Bohai Bay

In this paper, by studying bathymetric survey and shallow seismic detection data over multiple periods of history, the authors outline the geomorphic features of the Caofeidian Channel. The results of our studies indicate that the channel at the front end is dominated by erosion. The maximum water depth reaches 42.2 m, which sets the highest record for the water depth in Bohai Bay; the authors preliminarily conclude that the formation of the early channel occurred because the subsidence rate of the deep structure is slightly smaller than the deposition rate of the upper strata, and the Caofeidian Channel has existed for a long time, over 20 ka. The trending of the channel experienced a transition from the NS to the NE and then NW direction; the authors conclude that endogenic and exogenic processes, such as geological structures, the evolution of the ancient Luanhe River Delta, marine hydrodynamics, and human activity, jointly control the development and evolution of the geographic system in the Caofeidian sea area. The slope stabilities under the extreme conditions of a heavy storm and an earthquake are analyzed by performing simulations.© 2019 China Geology Editorial Office.     

EVALUATION OF TOPOGRAPHIC INDICES FOR EPHEMERAL-GULLY EROSION ASSESSMENT

1 INTRODUCTION Erosion caused by ephemeral flows is a frequent phenomenon in nature and contributes to the shape of the landscape. This type of erosion may cause great soil losses in agricultural areas, which are quickly transferred to the watershed outlets through the rill and gully network (Bennett et al., 2000; Poesen et al., 2003). Concentrated flow erosion is controlled by the erodibility of surface materials, climate, soil use and management, and watershed topography. Several metho…     

SOIL EROSION PROCESS RESEARCH AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON EROSION PREDICTION MODEL DEVELOPMENT

During the past 50 years, many research efforts have been invested in understanding soil erosion process and development of erosion prediction models at various scales. This paper briefly introduces the erosion process and prediction model development in the USA. Especially, this paper focuses on discussing potential impacts of the erosion process on erosion model development, and future directions of the soil erosion process research and process- based model development. 1 DEVELOPMENT O…     

CONTROL OF GULLY EROSION USING STIFF GRASSES

Concentrated flow can cause gully formation on sloping lands and in riparian zones. Current practice for riparian gully erosion control involves blocking the gully with a structure comprised of an earthen embankment and a metal or plastic pipe. Measures involving native vegetation would be more attractive for habitat recovery and economic reasons. To test the hypothesis that switchgrass （Panicum virgatum L.） hedges planted at 0.5-m vertical intervals within a gully would control erosion, a series of hedges was established in four concentrated flow channels. Two of the channels were previously eroded trapezoidal channels cut into compacted fill in an outdoor laboratory. The other two channels were natural gullies located at the edge of floodplain fields adjacent to an incised stream. While vegetation was dormant, artificial runoff events were created in the two laboratory gullies and one of the natural gullies using synthetic trapezoidal-shaped hydrographs with peak discharge rates of approximately 0.03, 0.07, and 0.16 m3/s. During these tests flow depth, velocity, turbidity, and soil pore water pressures were monitored. The fourth gully was subjected to a series of natural runoff events over a five-month period with peaks up to 0.09 m3/s. Flow depths in all tests were generally 〈 0.3 m, and flow velocities varied spatially and exceeded 2.0 m/s at the steepest points of the gullies. Erosion rates were negligible for controlled flow experiments, but natural flows in the fourth gully resulted in 1 m ofthalweg degradation, destroying the central portions of the grass hedges, most likely due to the highly erodible nature of the soils at this site. Geotechnical modeling of soil steps reinforced with switchgrass roots showed factors of safety 〉 1 for step heights 〈 0.5 m, but instability was indicated for step heights 〉1 m, consistent with the experimental observations.     

Some rainfall-related thresholds for erosion and sediment yield in the upper Yangtze River basin

This study examines rainfall thresholds for erosion and sediment yield in the upper Yangtze River basin. Sediment reduction effects of soil conservation measures depend on the magnitudes of rainstorm. When the latter is less than a critical threshold, sediment reduction effects of soil conservation measures are positive; when this magnitude is exceeded, the effect is negative. An analysis based on data from the Jialingjiang River shows that the sediment reduction by soil conservation measures increased with annual precipitation to a peak, and then decreased to a negative value. The annual precipitation at the peak and zero values of sediment reduction are 970 and 1,180 mm, respectively, which can be regarded as two thresholds. Annual precipitation at the zero-value of sediment reduction has a return period of 25 years. In general, the design standard of soil conservation works in China is related with rainstorms with return periods of 10–20 years. When the magnitude of rainstorm exceeds this, the soil conservation works may be partly or totally destroyed by rainstorms, and the previously trapped sediment may be released, resulting in a sharp increase in sediment yield. It was also found in the lower Jinshajiang River that when annual precipitation exceeds 1,050 mm or high-flow season precipitation exceeds 850 mm, the annual sediment yield increased sharply. These can also be regarded as key rainfall thresholds for erosion and sediment yields. When precipitation is less than the two thresholds, dominant erosion types are sheet, rill and gully erosions. When precipitation crosses the two thresholds, debris flows may occur more frequently. As a result, the previously stored loose sediment is released and sediment yield increases sharply.     

Physics-based modeling of cosmogenic nuclides part II – Key aspects of in-situ cosmogenic nuclide production

Characteristics of the spallogenic component of nuclide production are investigated through the use of a physics-based model. Calculated production rates for commonly used nuclides indicate differences in scaling up to 15% at very high altitude. Angular distribution of nuclide forming particles suggests the current method of shielding correction, which is neither altitude nor latitude dependent, can be improved on. Subsurface production profiles suggest that erosion corrections should be performed with non-constant attenuation lengths. Results are parameterized for easy application.