UNIVERSAL SOIL
LOSS EQUATION
(USLE)
USLE (UNIVERSAL SOIL LOSS EQUATION)
• USLE equation given by
Wischmeier and Smith in
1965.
• This equation is used in sheet
and rill erosion not gully
erosion.
• It is used for water erosion not
for wind erosion.
USLE (UNIVERSAL SOIL LOSS EQUATION)
• It computes average annual soil loss not sediment yield.
• It is a very simple and powerful tool for predicting the average annual
soil loss .
• A is used to calculate long term average. A =R*K*L*S*C*P
WHERE:
• A = Average annual soil loss, t/ha/y
• R = Rainfall & runoff erosivity factor, 𝑡/ℎ𝑎∗𝑦 ∗ 𝑐𝑚/ℎ
• K = Soil erodibility factor, 𝑡/ℎ𝑎∗𝑦 ∗ R
• L = Slope length factor
• S = Slope steepness factor
• C = Cover management factor
• P = conservation practices
EROSIVITY
• It is defined as the potential ability of rainfall to cause
erosion. Rainfall factor depends upon the physical
characteristics of rainfall which include raindrop size,
drop size distribution, kinetic energy, terminal
velocity, and etc.
ERODIBILITY
• It is defined as the susceptibility of the soil to be
eroded. It is the function of physical characteristics of
the soil. The physical characteristics include the
texture, structure, and organic matter content.
SOIL LOSS (A)
R
• It represent the erosive potential of rain and it is related to
the kinetic energy of the falling rain and its intensity. The
product of kinetic energy and 30-minute maximum rainfall
intensity is termed as rainfall erosivity factor.
• KE = 210.3 + 89 * log i
Where,
i = rainfall intensity, cm/h
K
• This factor is related to the various soil properties, by virtue of which a
particular soil becomes susceptible to get eroded by water or wind.
Physical characteristics of soil (infiltration rate, permeability, soil
texture, stability of soil structure, size, organic matter and soil depth)
greatly influence the rate at which different soils are eroded.
• It is expressed as tonnes of soil loss per hectare per unit rainfall
erosivity index from a field of 9% slope and slope length of 22.13
meters (72.6 ft.) for a continuously clean fallow land with up and down
slope forming
• Estimation of soil erodibility on the basis of soil properties
• K = 2.8 ∗ 10−7M1.14 12 − a + 4.3 ∗ 10−3 b − 2 + 3.3 ∗ 10−3 c − 3
Where,
• M = particle size parameter
• M= (% silt+% fine sand)*(100-% clay)
• a= % organic matter
• b = soil structure code (very fine granular = 1, fine granular =
2, medium or coarse granular = 3, blocky, platy or massive = 4)
• c = profile permeability class (for rapid = 1, moderate to rapid
=2, moderate = 3, slow to moderate = 4, slow= 5, very slow =6)
C
• It is defined as the ratio of soil loss from a field under known
cropping system to the soil loss from a continuous clean
fallow land under identical condition.
• This factor combines the effect of crop type, crop rotation,
length of growing season etc.
C
• The erosion effectiveness of crop and cropping practice is evaluated
based on five recommended crop stages:
• Period (F): Rough fallow: this include the summer ploughing or seed
bed preparation
• Period (1): Seed bed: It refers to the period from seeding to 1 month,
thereafter
• Period (2): Establishment: this is the time from 1 to 2 months after
seeding,
C
• Period (3): Growing period: It refers to the period from 2 to the
period of crop harvesting and
• Period (4): Residue or stubble: It refers to the period from crop
harvesting to summer ploughing or new seed bed preparation.
Crop management factor is determined as the ratio of soil loss
from cropped plot to the soil loss from a continuous fallow land
for each of the above five crop stages separately.
LIMITATIONS OF USLE
• It is empirical.
• It predicts average annual soil loss.
• It does not compute gully erosion.
• It does not compute sediment yield.
