Field investigation on rilling in the experimental Sparacia area, South Italy

In this paper the results of a field investigation on rilling carried out in the experimental Sparacia area are reported. The measurements were made on a plot 6 m wide and 22 m long subjected to natural rainfalls. For ten rainfalls the total soil loss (interrill and rill erosion) was collected in a storage system consisting of two tanks arranged in series at the base of the plot. Rill-sections) was measured for five rainfall events, while the morphology (rill length and cross rill profile was surveyed for three events. First the contribution of each component (rill and interrill erosion) to total soil loss was established. Then the analysis allowed establishment of a power relationship between the rill length and the rill volume. Finally, for three events detailed information on rill erosion and rill morphology allowed verification of the applicability of WEPP and estimation of the rill erodibility constant. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.