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Erosion Control Measures Exercises

In the Erosion Control Measures online lesson the reference pages for the following questions begin at: Demonstrating Effects of Management Practices on Annual Soil Loss: Using the Universal Soil Loss Equation Erosion Calculator.

USLE Calculator Exercise

1. Describe each of the six factors in the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and their impact on the amount of soil lost by water erosion.

2. Identify which of the USLE factors can be controlled by the land manager, and explain how they can be controlled.

The USLE erosion calculator

* Use the USLE model erosion calculator to complete the following 3 exercises.

MODEL EXERCISE #1 A farm is located in Gage County, NE and has an average rainfall factor, R, of 163. Evaluate the effect of changing slope and slope length on an average yielding no-till corn-soybean rotation with an average of 60% residue cover. The previous year's crop was soybean. Slope% (steepness) Slope Length (feet) Soil Loss (T/A) 6% 8% 10% 12% 200 100 50 30

Are there differences in the amount of soil lost? Why or why not?

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MODEL EXERCISE #2 A farm is located in Gage County, NE and has an average rainfall factor, R, of 163. Evaluate the effect of percent residue cover on an average yielding no-till corn-soybean rotation. The previous year's crop was soybeans. Residue % Soil Loss (T/A) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

How does an increase in the % residue cover change the rate of soil loss? Explain your answer.

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MODEL EXERCISE #3 A producer in Cedar County NE has grown corn on his field for 20 years. He follows the conventional tillage practices of his father and disks his field after harvest every fall. On one 80 acre parcel of his farm, there is a slope of 6% that runs 600 downhill to a stream. Tolerable soil loss (T) for this soil is 5 tons/acre/year (according to the NRCS soil survey). Using the USLE calculator program, estimate the amount of soil lost annually from this parcel of his land. If he is exceeding T, make some management recommendations for his cropping system to lower his soil loss and help him meet T for this land. If you cannot meet T by altering only C factors, then try implementing some conservation practices (P factor) to help. NOTE: Record the factors, recommendations and results in the table below.

Location

Soil

Slope length = Slope % = LS factor =

Cropping Sys= Cover % = Tillage = C Factor =

P factor: Terraces, contour, strips, etc.

Soil Loss A tons/acre

Cedar Co. Producer Current Practices

Cedar Co. Alternative System 1

Cedar Co. Alternative System 2