Erosion and Sedimentation

Processes, Factors and Impacts

on the Environment

CE-418

Lecture 6
1
 Surface Water and Erosion
• The amount of rain and how long it rains.

• Another factor for the amount of run off is steepness or

slope of the land, because gravity causes water to move
down slopes more rapidly.

• Vegetation increases the amount of water soaked into the

ground.
EROSION - The process by which the
land surface is worn away by the action
of water, wind, ice and gravity

3
Predevelopment

Construction 4
Photograph of erosion

Water Erosion 5
Types of Water Erosion

1. Splash Erosion
2. Sheet Erosion
3. Rill Erosion
4. Gully Erosion

6
 Raindrop impact on bare soil

Splash .
Erosion

7
Sheet Erosion

8
Photograph of rill erosion

RILL EROSION 9
 Gully Erosion

Photograph of gully erosion

10
TYPES OF WATER EROSION

Insert picture here

SPLASH
SHEET

RILL &
GULLY

STREAM &
CHANNEL 11
 Sedimentation
The process by which the eroded
material is transported and deposited by

• Water
• Wind
• Ice
• Gravity
12
Photograph of sediment

SEDIMENTATION
13
Stages in Erosion & Sedimentation
1. Detachment 2. Transport 3. Deposition

14
Natural Erosion vs. Accelerated Erosion

15
Natural (Normal) Erosion

• Erosion without the interference of

man’s activities.

• The rate is generally small except for

stream channel and shore erosion.
16
Accelerated Erosion

Erosion intensified by human activities

– Example: Farming
– Example: Construction

17
 Water Erosion
• When water travels down the same slope time after time,
it erodes a path into the slope.
• Rill erosion begins when a small stream forms during
heavy rain.
• As water continues to move down this path, it creates a
groove on the slope called a channel.
• If this continues, rill erosion turns into gully erosion,
where the channel becomes broader and deeper.
 Sheet and Stream Erosion
• Water often runs off in a thin broad sheet before like
water flowing over a car. Sheet erosion occurs when
water that is flowing as sheets, picks up and carries
away sediment.
• Stream Erosion: As water in a stream moves along
a channel and picks sediment from the bottom and
sides of it, which is called the stream
• The lighter part of this load is called suspended load.
• The heavier part of the load is called the bed load.
Sediment Yield
 Should not be confused with erosion; the terms are not
interchangeable

 Amount of eroded soil delivered to a point in the watershed

that is remote from the origin of the detached soil particles

 Includes erosion from slopes, channels, and mass wasting,

minus sediment deposited before it reaches the point of
interest

20
 Erosion Prediction
 Estimate of average soil loss, usually calculated as an
average loss over a site
 Losses may differ greatly from one area to another
 Typically calculated on an annual or monthly basis
 Models are available to predict erosion rate
 Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)
 Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and
RUSLE2
 Most do not estimate sediment yield…RUSLE2 does

21
 Procedure for Estimating Gross Erosion
Gross Erosion = Sheet and Rill Erosion + Other
Erosion
 May be calculated using the USLE, RUSLE, or
RUSLE2
 Soil loss from gullies, channels, other concentrated
flow may be determined by calculating the annual
volume of soil removed from the eroded area
 Annual tons of soil loss can be determined by
multiplying the volume by the weight of the soil
22
Erosion Prediction
Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)

A = R x K x LS x C x P
There a 5 major factors influencing erosion:
• A = Average Annual Soil Loss (tons/ac/yr)
• R = Rainfall Factor
• K = Soil Erodability Factor
• L/S = Slope Length and Steepness Factors
• C = Soil Cover Factor
• P = Practice Factor
23 23
 Rainfall Erosivity (R) Factor
 When factors other than rainfall are held constant,
soil loss is directly proportional to a rainfall factor
composed of total storm kinetic energy (E) times
the maximum 30-min intensity (I30) (Wischmeier
and Smith, 1958)

 R is the average annual sum of EI30 for storm events

during a rainfall record of at least 22 years

24
25
26
 Soil Erodibility (K) Factor
• Fine-textured soils with clay have low K values (about 0.05
to 0.15)…particles are resistant to detachment
• Coarse-textured soils (e.g., sandy soils) have low K values
(about 0.05 to 0.2)…high infiltration resulting in low runoff
even though these particles are easily detached
• Medium-textured soils (e.g., silt loam) have moderate K
values (about 0.25 to 0.45)…moderately susceptible to
particle detachment and they produce runoff at moderate
rates
• Soils having a high silt content are especially susceptible to
erosion and have high K values (can exceed 0.45) and can be
as large as 0.65. NRCS 27
 LS and C Factor
• Accounts for the effect of topography on erosion
• L factor represents the slope length
• S factor represents the slope steepness

• C Factor: Reflect s the effect of plant cover and

management practices on erosion rates
• The factor used most often to compare the relative
impacts of management options on conservation
plans
28
 Table 3-4

COVER INDEX FACTOR C -- CONSTRUCTION SITES

C Factors for Type of Cover Factor C Percent1

None (fallow ground) 1.0 0.0
Construction Sites Temporary Seedings (90 percent stand):

Ryegrass (perennial type) 0.05 95

Ryegrass (annuals) 0.1 90
Small grain 0.05 95
Millet or sudan grass 0.05 95
Field bromegrass 0.03 97

Permanent Seedings (90 percent stand): 0.01 99

Sod (laid immediately): 0.01 99

Application Rate
Tons Per Acre
Mulch:
Hay .50 0.25 75
Hay 1.00 0.13 87
Hay 1.50 0.07 93
Hay 2.00 0.02 98
Small grain straw 2.00 0.02 98
Wood chips 6.00 0.06 94
Wood cellulose 1.75 0.10 90

l
Percent soil loss reduction as compacted/with fallow ground.

Source: USDA-NRCS, Connecticut Technical Guide.

29
 Practice (P) Factor
• Ratio of soil loss with a specific support practice to
the corresponding soil loss with upslope and
downslope disturbance

30
 Table 3-5

PRACTICE FACTOR P
SURFACE CONDITION FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES

P Factors for
Surface Condition with No Cover Factor P1
Construction Sites Compact and smooth, scraped with bulldozer
1.3
or scraper up and downhill.
Same condition, except raked with bulldozer
1.2
root rake up and downhill.
Compact and smooth, scraped with bulldozer
1.2
or scraper across the slope.
Same condition, except raked with bulldozer
0.9
root rake across the slope.
Loose as a disked plow layer. 1.0
Rough, irregular surface equipment tracks in
0.9
all directions.
Note: P=0.48 for Track Loose with rough surface greater than 12”
0.8
depth.
Walking Loose with smooth surface greater than 12”
0.9
depth.

1
Values based on estimates.

Source: USDA-NRCS, Connecticut Technical Guide.

31
 Procedure for Estimating Gross Erosion
Gross Erosion = Sheet and Rill Erosion + Other
Erosion
 May be calculated using the USLE, RUSLE, or
RUSLE2
 Soil loss from gullies, channels, other concentrated
flow may be determined by calculating the annual
volume of soil removed from the eroded area
 Annual tons of soil loss can be determined by
multiplying the volume by the weight of the soil
32
 RUSLE Example
A = RKLSCP
Given: Clarke County (R = 275) Table B-2.1
Cecil sandy loam (K = 0.28) Soil Survey
2:1 slope, 20 feet long (LS = 7.97) Table B-2.2
20% grass cover (C = 0.2) Table B-2.5
No other conservation practices (P = 1.00)
Find: Soil loss for the given conditions.

A = 122.7 tons per acre per year

*Information taken from the Manual for Erosion and

33
Sediment Control in GA
 RUSLE Example
A = RKLSCP

If you reduce the slope steepness to 3:1 (LS = 4.93) …

A = 75.9 tons/acre/year, a 38% reduction in soil loss.

or

If you increase the vegetative cover to 80% (C = 0.013) …

A = 8.0 tons/acre/year, a 94% reduction in soil loss.
34
 Expected Erosion Rates
(Tons/Acre/Year)

1. Forest Land 1 or greater

2. Farm Land 15 or greater
3. Construction Sites 100 or greater

35
 Impacts of Construction Activities
1. Removal of organic soil matter
2. Removal of vegetation
3. Reshaping of ground surface contours
4. Exposure of subsoil
5. Changing the pervious ground surface
to impervious
36
Factors Affecting Erosion
1. Climatic (rainfall and runoff) Factors
2. Soil Factors
3. Topographic Factors
4. Vegetative Factors

37
RAINDROP IMPACT & SPLASH EROSION

38
 Rainstorm Energy
20

18

16

14

12

10
Pe

Month 39
 Photograph of river

VOLUME AND VELOCITY OF FLOW

40
Topography
SLOPE GRADIENT
SLOPE LENGTH
Gradient is expressed as number of horizontal
units per unit vertical such as 3 to 1 or 4 to 1 or
in percentage as 33 percent or 25 percent.

41
Slope Gradient

• 4 to 1 or 4:1 means that four feet of

horizontal length are required for each
foot of vertical change in elevation

4
42
Slope Gradient

43
Soil Factors

• Fine sandy & silty soils are more

erodible than clay type soils & those
with higher percentage of organic
matter.

44
 Vegetative Factors

• Absorbs raindrop impact

• Reduces detachment
• Roots hold soil in place
• Slows water flow
• Adds organic material to the soil
• Reduces runoff
• Increases infiltration
45
46
Photograph of vegetation holding soil
in place

Vegetation holds
soil in place 47
 Photograph of vegetation slowing
water and trapping sediment

Vegetation slows the flow of water,

reducing erosion and trapping
sediment 48
Photograph rate and speed of runoff

Rate and speed

of runoff 49
Photograph

50
Vegetation provides
organic material

51
Impacts of Erosion and Sedimentation
1. Loss of soil productivity
2. Adverse effects on other water
resource facilities
3. Loss of reservoir storage capacity
4. Flood impacts
5. Recreational impacts
6. Deterioration of water quality

52
Increased maintenance
costs for stormwater
management systems

53
Decreased Recreational Value
54
Screens Out Sunlight = Decline in Plant Growth

Biological impacts

55
Sedimentation Disrupts The Ecosystem 56
57
58
 SUMMARY
• Many processes and factors are involved in
erosion and sedimentation
• Erosion is a k natural process, but it can be
accelerated by human activities. KEEP BARE
SOIL TO AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM!
• Impacts of erosion and sedimentation can be
devastating to both the environment and the
economy

59