EFFECT OF SOIL PROPERTIES ON EROSION BY WASH AND SPLASH

This paper describes laboratory testing of 148 samples collected from southern Alberta for erosion by wash and splash. Rainfal intensity was held constant during these tests. Soil aggregation was the most significant variable explaining soil loss. The significance of other soil properties, such as organic carbon and clay content is variable, depending on the interrelationships among aggregate stability, organic content, and clay content of particular soils. Variations of erodibility of the major soils examined are explained by the resistance of aggregates to compaction and dispersion. Splash detachment and wash transport are the dominant erosion mechanisms in inter-rill areas.-Author