USLE K-Factor Method Selection for a Tropical Catchment

Valter S. Marques, Marcos B. Ceddia, Mauro A. H. Antunes, Daniel F. Carvalho, Jamil A. A. Anache, Dulce B. B. Rodrigues and Paulo Tarso S. Oliveira
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Valter S. Marques: Federal Institute of Goiás, GO 154, Km 3, Ceres, GO 76300-000, Brazil
Marcos B. Ceddia: Institute of Technology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, Km 7, Seropédica, RJ 23890-000, Brazil
Mauro A. H. Antunes: Institute of Technology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, Km 7, Seropédica, RJ 23890-000, Brazil
Daniel F. Carvalho: Institute of Technology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, BR 465, Km 7, Seropédica, RJ 23890-000, Brazil
Jamil A. A. Anache: São Carlos School of Engineering, University of São Paulo, CxP. 359, São Carlos, SP 13566-590, Brazil
Dulce B. B. Rodrigues: Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism and Geography, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, CxP. 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil
Paulo Tarso S. Oliveira: Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism and Geography, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, CxP. 549, Campo Grande, MS 79070-900, Brazil

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: The use of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and the Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) facilitates sediment yield (SY) estimates in watersheds. However, the soil loss predictions are frequently unrealistic because of the methods used to estimate the USLE’s factors. Here, we evaluated the performance of methods to estimate the soil erodibility (K-factor) and the influence of its estimation in the SY predictions. K-factor values were obtained from three widely used equations and using a portable rainfall simulator. These values were used to compute annual average soil loss and SY in a tropical watershed. We compared SY estimates with a 15-month observed sediment discharge dataset sampled in the catchment outlet. The most reliable method for the K-factor estimating was the USLE nomograph. Furthermore, our results indicate that the use of a portable rainfall simulator to estimate the K-factor tends to underestimate soil loss and sediment delivery.

Keywords: soil erodibility; SDR; sediment yield; soil loss (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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