Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Rainfall Intensity and Experimental Plot Slope on Raindrop Impact Induced Erosion (RIIE)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD candidate, Department of Watershed Management Engineering, College of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modarres University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Watershed Management Engineering, College of Natural Resources, Tarbiat Modarres University, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Soil Science, University of Guilan

Abstract

Splash detachment and transport of soil particles through the impact of raindrops on the soil surface form the initiating mechanisms of water erosion. However, mechanistic analysis of different affecting factors has less been taken into account. The present study was therefore formulated for a comparative analysis of the effective intensities as well as slopes on Raindrop Impact Induced Erosion (RIIE) components within a laboratory scale and for a sandy clay loam soil. Towards this end, a total of 81 rainfall simulation experiments were conducted in a set of 1 × 6 m plots with varying slopes of 5, 15 and 25% while using the current situation prevalent in the region. The experiments were performed in three replications and with simulated rainfall intensities of 30, 60, and 90 mm h-1 using region IDF. The experiments were also adopted while using rainfall simulation system along with upward as well as downward Morgan’s splash cups placed at upper, middle and lower parts of the plot. Results indicated that all the study variables viz. total vs net splash and upward downward splash were significantly (p ≤ 0.01) influenced by rainfall intensity and cups' locality, but net splash was not statistically influenced (p ≥ 0.13) by spatial variation of cups. In addition, the results showed that slope did not affect any study variables (p ≥ 0.11) except the phenomenon of net splash (p ≤ 0.01).

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Iranian Journal of Soil and Water Research
Volume 46, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
January 2016
Pages 631-640

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