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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Oxford, Mississippi » National Sedimentation Laboratory » Watershed Physical Processes Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #284571
Title: Spatial distribution and morphologic characteristics of gullies in the Black Soil Region of China: Hebei watershed

Author
item ZHANG, TIANYU - Beijing Normal University
item LIU, GANG - Beijing Normal University
item DUAN, XINGWU - Beijing Normal University
item Wilson, Glenn

Submitted to: Natural Hazards
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2016
Publication Date: 5/12/2016
Citation: Zhang, T., Liu, G., Duan, X., Wilson, G.V. 2016. Spatial distribution and morphologic characteristics of gullies in the Black Soil Region of China: Hebei watershed. Natural Hazards. 37(3-4):228-250.

Interpretive Summary: Gully erosion can be a major cause of soil degradation but little is known about its role in the black soils region of northeast China. The purpose of this paper was to measure the shape and size characteristics of gullies and how they are distributed in the black soil region of China. The Hebei watershed (about 28 km2) was selected as the study area and a ground survey was carried out. Gully locations were recorded and cross sections were measured. A total of 131 gullies were detected and measured. The gully density was 0.67 km/km2, and the mean depth, mean width, mean cross-sectional area and width to depth ratio was 0.73 m, 2.33 m, 2.36 m2 and 3.43, respectively. Valley-bottom gullies and hillslope gullies were similar in total size. Gully length was used to estimate 66% of the gully volume for valley-bottom gullies and 69% of volume for the hillslope gullies. Gully erosion risk was higher in the comparatively steeper areas in this gently sloping region. The majority (84% in length) of hillslope gullies were associated with roads. These results provide the database and basic understanding of gully distribution for this region that will guide subsequent soil conservation work.

Technical Abstract: Gully erosion can be a dominant cause of soil degradation but little is known about its role in the black soils region of northeast China. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the morphologic characteristics and spatial distributions of gullies in the black soil region of China. The Hebei watershed (about 28 km2) was selected as the study area and a ground survey was carried out. Gully positions were recorded and cross sections were measured. A total of 131 gullies were detected and measured. The gully density was 0.67 km/km2, and the mean depth, mean width, mean cross-section area and width-depth ratio was 0.73 m, 2.33 m, 2.36 m2 and 3.43, respectively. Valley-bottom gullies and hillslope gullies were similar in total size. Gully length can determine 0.66 of the volumes for valley-bottom gullies and 0.69 of volumes for the hillslope gullies. Gully erosion risk was higher in the comparatively steeper areas in this gently sloping region. The majority (84% in length) of hillslope gullies were associated with roads. These results provide the database and basic understanding of gully distribution for this region that will guide subsequent soil conservation work.