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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #177433
Title: GULLY STUDY REVISITED

Author
item Wells, Robert - Rob
item Alonso, Carlos
item Simon, Andrew

Submitted to: Environmental and Water Resources Institute World Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/15/2005
Publication Date: 5/15/2005
Citation: Wells, R.R., Alonso, C.V., Simon, A. 2005. Gully study revisited. Environmental and Water Resources Institute World Congress Proceedings. Available: http://ascelibrary.org/2005conferences/ASCECP000173040792.

Interpretive Summary: The work presented herein discusses the typical form and processes involved in the evolution of gullies. Gullies are relatively steep-sided channels which form where no previous channel existed. The primary factor involved in the creation of gullies is concentrated overland flow. Typically, rainfall infiltrates into the soil until the soil's capacity is reached, and then the water flows along the ground surface in the direction of lower elevation. As more water joins the process, flow is concentrated and can be highly erosive. Three types of gullies and their mechanisms of evolution are discussed. Finally, two field studies conducted in Mississippi are compared. The soil loss amounts are comparable; however, the timing of the soil loss is different in the two studies.

Technical Abstract: Gully erosion is a highly visible form of soil erosion that affects soil productivity, restricts land use, and threatens roads, fences and buildings. Gullies are relatively steep-sided channels, recently formed within a valley where no well-defined channel previously existed, which experience ephemeral flows during heavy or extended rainfall. This paper serves as an introductory literature review of gully types and processes and takes a probing look at two ephemeral gully studies conducted in Mississippi. This research is part of a USDA-ARS initiative to provide new information on gully-erosion processes (sediment production and migration) and gully-stabilization efforts (BMP's) in the Lower Mississippi River Basin.