Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture (한국환경농학회지)

The Korean Society of Environmental Agriculture (한국환경농학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Region-Scaled Soil Erosion Assessment using USLE and WEPP in Korea

  • Kim, Min-Kyeong (Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA) ;
  • Jung, Kang-Ho (Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA) ;
  • Yun, Sun-Gang (Department of Agricultural Environment, National Academy of Agricultural Science, RDA) ;
  • Kim, Chul-Soo (Department of Civil Engineering, Kyungbuk National University)
  • Published : 2008.12.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

During the summer season, more than half of the annual precipitation in Korea occurs during the summer season due to the geographical location in the Asian monsoon belt. So, this causes severe soil erosion from croplands, which is directly linked to the deterioration of crop/land productivity and surface water quality. Therefore, much attention has been given to develop accurate estimation tools of soil erosion. The aim of this study is to assess the performance of using the empirical Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and the physical-based model of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) to quantify eroded amount of soil from agricultural fields. Input data files, including climate, soil, slope, and cropping management, were modified to fit into Korean conditions. Chuncheon (forest) and Jeonju (level-plain) were selected as two Korean cities with different topographic characteristics for model analysis. The results of this current study indicated that better soil erosion prediction can be achieved using the WEPP model since it has better power to illustrate a higher degree of spatial variability than USLE in topography, precipitation, soils, and crop management practices. These present findings are expected to contribute to the development of the environmental assessment program as well as the conservation of the agricultural environment in Korea.

Keywords

References

  1. Clark, E.H., Haverkamp, J.A., Chapman, W. (1985) Eroding Soils. The off-farm Impacts, The Conservation Foundation, Washington, DC, USA, p.252
  2. Lal, R. (1995) Erosion-crop productivity relationships for soils of Africa. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., 59, 661-667 https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1995.03615995005900030004x
  3. Pimentel, D., Harvey, C., Resosudarmo, P., Sinclair, K., Kurz, D., McNair, M., Crist, S., Shpritz, L., Fitton, L., Saffouri, R., Blair, R. (1995) Environmental and economic costs of soil erosion and conservation benefits, Science, 267, 1117-1123 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.267.5201.1117
  4. Daily, G., Dasgupta, P., Bolin, B., Crosson, P., Guerny, J.du., Ehrlich, P., Folke, C., Jansson, A.M., Kautsky, N., Kimzig,, Levin, S., Maler, K.G., Anderson, P.P., Siniscalo, D., Walker, B. (1998) Food production, population growth, and the environment, Science, 281, 1291-1292 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.281.5381.1291
  5. Matson, P.A., Parton, W.J., Power, A.G., Swift, M.J. (1997) Agricultural intensification and ecosystem pro perties. Science, 277, 504-509 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.277.5325.504
  6. Amore, E., Modica, C., Nearing, M.A., Santoro, V.C. (2004) Scale effect in USLE and WEPP application for soil erosion computation from three Sicilian basins, J. Hydrol., 293, 100-114 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2004.01.018
  7. DiSilvio, G. (1996) Interrimento e riabilitazione degli invasi artificiali, L'acqua, 6, 49-54
  8. Rendchler, C.S. and Harbor, J. (2002) Soil erosion assessment tools from point to regional scales-the role of geomorphologists in land management research and implementation, Geomorphology, 47, 189-209 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-555X(02)00082-X
  9. Wischmeier, W.H. and Smith S.S. (1965) Predicting rainfall erosion losses from cropland east of the Rockey Mountains: Guide for selection of practices for soil and water conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook, No. 282
  10. Flanagan, D.C., Gilley, J.E., Franti, T.G. (2007), Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP): Development history, model capabilities, and future enhancements, 50, 1603-1612 https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.23968
  11. Foster, G.R. and Lane, L.J. (1987) User requirements USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), NSERL Report No. 1, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, NSERL, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2077, USA
  12. Nearing, M.A., Foster, G.R., Lane, L.J., Finkner, S.C. (1989) A process-based soil erosion model for USDA-Water Erosion Prediction Project technology, Trans. ASAE, 32, 1587-1593 https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.31195
  13. Flanagan, D.C. and Nearing, M.A. (1995) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP): Hillslope profile and watershed model documentation. National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory (NSERL) Report No. 10, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, NSERL, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2077, USA
  14. Ghidey, F. and Alberts, E.E. (1996) Comparison of measured and WEPP predicted runoff and soil loss for Midwest claypan soil. Trans. ASAE, 39, 1395-1402 https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.27631
  15. Wischmeier, W.H. and Smith S.S. (1978) Predicting rainfall erosion losses - a guide to conservation planning, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook, No. 537
  16. Park, J.H., Woo, H.S., Pyun, C.K., Kim, K.K. (2000) A study of distribution of rainfall erosivity in USLE/ RUSLE for estimation of soil loss. JKWRA, 33, 603-610
  17. Box. Jr.J.E. (1981) The effect of surface slaty fragment on soil erosion by water, Soil Sci. Soc. Am., 43, 111-116
  18. Laflen, J.M., Flanagan, D.C., Engel, B.A. (2004) Soil erosion and sediment yield prediction accuracy using WEPP, JAWEA, 40, 289-297
  19. Lindstrom, M.J., Schumscher, T.E., Lobb, D.A., Schumacher, J.A. (1999) Soil Erosion: a combined analysis of tillage and water erosion over a complex landscape, Proceeding of 10th International Soil Conservation Organization Conference, West Lafayette, IN, USA
  20. Kim, M.K., Flanagan, D.C., J.R. Frankerberger, C.R. Meyer (2009) Impact of precipitation changes on runoff and soil erosion in Korea using CLIGEN and WEPP, J. of Soil and Water Conserv., (In press)

Cited by

  1. Application of Web ERosivity Module (WERM) for estimation of annual and monthly R factor in Korea vol.147, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.07.017