ARS | Publication request: Development of a Common Water and Wind Erosion Model for Soil Conservation Planning

Submitted to: Agro-Environment Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: January 1, 2008
Publication Date: May 27, 2008
Citation: Flanagan, D.C., Ascough II, J.C., Wagner, L.E. 2008. Development of a Common Water and Wind Erosion Model for Soil Conservation Planning. In: Proceedings of the Agro-Environment Symposium, April 28-May 1, 2008, Antalya, Turkey. 2008 CDROM.

Technical Abstract: Land management can greatly impact soil erosion caused by the forces of water and/or wind. Erosion prediction in the United States has followed two separate development paths. Early tools developed were the Universal Soil Loss Equation and the Wind Erosion Equation, and this separation continued through the creation of physical process-based models WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) and WEPS (Wind Erosion Prediction System). However, recent efforts have begun in USDA to combine these separate models into a single prediction tool, for use by field office personnel when planning soil conservation practices on farms and ranches. Components are being obtained from WEPP, WEPS, and other relevant natural resource models. One branch of the development effort is directly combining hydrology and water erosion components from WEPP into a modified version of the WEPS model. However, this approach is hampered by current simulation limitations of the WEPS code, particularly its applicability to only a single accounting region. The second branch of development is creation of modules within an Object Modeling System (OMS), then building a new combined model from these easily linked components. Currently, hydrology, water balance, water erosion, and wind detachment modules have been created in OMS, and linked to form a prototype combined model. Within the next year, additional components for plant growth and erosion parameter estimation will be incorporated. A complete system including interfaces and databases is planned by 2011. In addition to being able to simulate the separate wind or water detachment rates, the combined model will also allow for the possibility of predicting combined soil loss from wind-driven rain. Delivery of the tool will likely be via a web-based interface, utilizing as many existing soils, climate, topographic, and management databases as possible. This paper will present information on the project plans and goals, user requirements for the combined model, and current progress towards an integrated water and wind erosion prediction system.