ARS | Publication request: SURFACE FLOW AND SEDIMENT TRANSPORT PROCESSES IN A FLOW CHANNEL

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 18, 1998
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Recent laboratory studies from a dual-box system showed significant interactions between flow hydraulics of shallow surface flow and soil hydrologic condition on sediment transport. The objective of this study was to quantify rill erosion and sediment transport processes in a flow channel as the surface boundary condition was altered. A third soil box, designed as a flow channel, was added to the dual-box system to form a triple-box system with independent slope and rainfall adjustments for each soil box. Sediments from the first two boxes were used as sediment inputs to the flow channel. Experimental variables included soil hydrologic condition (i.e., seepage or drainage), slope, rainfall intensity and sediment input rate. Results showed that sediment detachment and deposition in the flow channel are affected by the experimental variables. There apparently is a unique sediment transport capacity associated with each set of experimental variables. In addition, the transport capacity was very sensitive to the seepage and drainage condition, indicating the need to develop a new process-based soil erodibility concept. Results of this study will improve the understanding of erosion processes in a flow channel.