The use of 137Cs as a tracer in an erosion study in south limburg (the Netherlands) and the influence of chernobyl fallout

The ¹³⁷Cs radioactivity of soils was used as a tracer of soil erosion in a catchment in the Netherlands: 143 samples were analysed to map the ¹³⁷Cs redistribution using geostatistical interpolation methods. Caesium-137 activities on grassland are significantly higher than on arable land. Also, ¹³⁷Cs activities on waning slopes are higher and activities on steep slopes are lower. The soil erosion estimates, derived from the ¹³⁷Cs data, are used to validate the USLE erosion model. The recent Chernobyl nuclear accident also contributed to the ¹³⁷Cs activity. However, the Chernobyl input of ¹³⁷Cs, with a constant ratio of 1.765:1 to ¹³⁴Cs, cannot be used as a tracer of soil erosion. Because of the rapid decay of ¹³⁴Cs, we will not be possible to separate the sources of ¹³⁷Cs in the near future in areas significantly influenced by Chernobyl fallout and in these areas ¹³⁷Cs can no longer be used as a soil erosion tracer.