METHODS OF GENERAL ASSESSMENT FOR EROSION

Assessing erosion involves a combination of field observations, remote sensing, and modeling techniques. Here are some
common methods:
1. Field Observations
 Visual Inspections: Directly observing signs of erosion like gullies, rills, and sediment deposits.
 Soil Pits: Digging pits to examine soil profiles, identifying erosion layers, and assessing soil structure and texture.
 Sediment Traps: Installing devices to collect sediment washed off a specific area to quantify erosion rates.
2. Remote Sensing
 Aerial Photography: Analyzing aerial photos to identify erosion patterns, changes in land cover, and potential
erosion hotspots.
 Satellite Imagery: Using satellite data to map large-scale erosion patterns, monitor land degradation, and assess
the impact of land use changes.
3. Modeling
 Empirical Models: Utilizing statistical models like the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) or Revised Universal Soil
Loss Equation (RUSLE) to predict soil loss based on factors like rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length and
steepness, crop management, and conservation practices.
 Process-Based Models: Simulating physical processes like rainfall, runoff, and sediment transport using models like
the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) or Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT).
4. Additional Considerations
 Soil Surveys: Conducting soil surveys to assess soil properties like texture, structure, and organic matter content,
which influence erodibility.
 Climate Data Analysis: Analyzing rainfall patterns, wind speeds, and temperature variations to identify periods of
high erosion risk.
 Topographic Analysis: Evaluating slope gradients, aspect, and drainage patterns to determine areas vulnerable to
water erosion.
LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION
 It is defined as a system of grouping land in to various classes based on inherent limitations imposed on sustained
use by soil attributes, topography, drainage and climate. It was developed by USDA.
 The guiding principle underlying LCC is “use land according to its capability and treat it as per its need”
Need for Land Capability Classification (LCC)
 The classification of land is quite essential and rather a pre-requisite in any land-use planning and development.
 It relates to climatic factors, soil characteristics, slope and degree of erosion, water supply and drainage and similar
environment conditions affecting Land-use and productivity.
 It enables us to predict as how different soils can be utilized with safety according to the qualification of class or sub-
class into which they are placed.
Factor Influencing the Land Capability Classification
 Soil profile characteristics: Soil texture, effective soil depth, permeability and internal drainage, availability of
nutrients, soil salinity, soil alkalinity, and soil toxicity.
 External feature of the land: Water logging, slope and erosion are the factors that determine land capability and limit
the land for particular use only.
 Climate factors: Rainfall, temperature and wind velocity are important components that determine land capability
class.

The Capability Classification provides three major categories of soil grouping: (i) Capability unit, (ii) capability classes, (iii)
Capability sub-classes
Capability Unit
 Land Capability Unit is a grouping of one or more individual soil-mapping units having similar potentials and
continuing limitations or hazards.
 The capability unit condenses and simplifies soils information for planning individual tracts of land, field by field.
 Capacity units are classified into class and sub-class furnish information about the degree of limitation kind of
conservation problems and the management practices needed.
Capability classes
The soil conservation service of the U.S Dept., of Agriculture classified lands into eight Capability classes on the basis of
the topographic situations which are as follows:
 Land Class I:
 Soils in land class I have either no or only slight, permanent limitations or risks of damage.
They are very good. They can be cultivated safely with ordinary good farming methods. The soil is deep,
productive, easily worked, and nearly level. However, they are subject to fertility and puddle erosion. Class I soils
used for crop needed practices to maintain soil fertility and soil structure. These practices involve use of
fertilizers and lime, cover and green manure crops, crop residues and crop rotations.
 Land Class II:
 Subject to moderate limitations in use. They are subject to moderate risks of damage. They are good soils. They
can be cultivated with easily applied practices. Soil in class II differ from class I in number of ways. They differ
mainly because of they have gentle slopes a subject to moderate erosion, are of moderate depths are subject to
occasional overflows, and are in need of drainage. These soils may require special practices such as soil
conservating rotations, water-control devices or special tillage methods. They frequently need a combination of
practices.
 Land Class III:
 Soils in this class are subject to severe limitations in use of cropland. They are subject to severe risks or damages.
They are moderately good soils. They can be used regularly for crops, provided they are planted according to good
rotations and given the proper treatment. Soils in this class have moderated steep, slopes are subject to more
sever erosion. They are inherently low in fertility.
 Class III soil is more limited or subject to greater risks than the class II. These limitations often restrict the choice of
crops or the timing of planting and tillage operations. These soils require cropping systems that produce adequate
plant cover. The cover is needed to protect soil from erosion. It also helps to preserve soil structure. Hay or fodder
crops should be grown instead of regular cultivating crops.
Land Class IV:
 Class IV land is composed of soils, which have very severe permanent limitations or hazards if used for cropland.
The soils are fairly good. They may be cultivated occasionally if handed with great care for the most part. Soils in
class IV have unfavorable characteristics. They are frequently on steeps slopes and subject to severe erosion. They
are restricted in their suitability for crop use.
 They should usually be kept in hay or pasture, although a grain crop may be grown once in five or six years.
Land Class V:
 Soils in class V should be kept in permanent vegetation. They should be used for pasture or forestry. Cultivation is
not feasible, however, because of wetness or other limitations. The land is nearly level. It is subject to only slight
erosion by wind or water, if properly managed.
 Grazing should be regulated so that plant cover is maintained.
Land Class VI:
 Class VI soil should be used for grazing and forestry and may have moderate hazards when in use. They are subject
to moderate permanent limitations and are unsuited for cultivation. They are steep, or shallow. Grazing should not
be permitted to destroy the plant cover.
 Class VI land is capable of producing forage or woodland products when properly managed. If the plant cover has
been destroyed, the soils use should be restricted until cover is re-established.
Land Class VII:
 Soils in class VII are subject to severe permanent limitations or hazards when used for grazing or forestry. They are
steep, eroded rough, shallow, droughty or swampy. They are either fair or poor for grazing or forestry and must be
handled with care.
 Where rainfall is ample, land should be used for woodland. In other areas it should be for grazing.
Land Class VIII:
 Soils in this class are rough even for woodland or grazing. They should be used for wildlife, recreation or watershed
uses.

CAPABILITY SUB-CLASSES
 Within some of the main classes smaller sub-classes are used to specify particular problems. These are applied only
to classes II, III, and IV. Class code e, w, s, and c are used for land capability subclasses.
 Subclass e (erosion hazards)
 It is soils for which the susceptibility to erosion is the dominant problem or hazard affecting their use. Erosion
susceptibility and erosion damage are the major soil factors that affect soil in this subclass.
 Subclass w (wetness)
 It is made up of soils for which excess water is the dominant hazard or limitation affecting their use. Poor soil
drainage, wetness, a high-water table, and overflow are the factors that affect soils in this subclass.
 Subclass s (soil limitation)
 Is made up of soils that have soil limitations within the rooting zone, such as shallowness of the rooting zone,
stones, low moisture-holding capacity, low fertility that is difficult to correct, and salinity or sodium content.
 Subclass c (climatic limitation)
 Is made up of soils for which the climate (the temperature or lack of moisture) is the major hazard or limitation
affecting their use.
LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION

Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)

 Is a mathematical model used to predict the long-term average annual rate of soil erosion. It's a valuable tool for soil
conservationists and agricultural planners to assess the risk of soil erosion and develop strategies to mitigate it.
 It is the most widely accepted method for estimating the average annual soil loss, which is referred to as the Universal
to as Soil Loss Equation, which is very popularly known as USLE.
 It is also helps in determining the adequacy of conservation measure. USLE was initially proposed by Wischmeler and
Smith in 1958 and modified to its present form in 1978.
 Another definition of USLE; “The USLE is a erosion prediction model for estimating long term averages of soil erosion
from sheet and rill erosion from a specified land under a specified condition.”

Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE)

Erosion = f (Climate, Topography, Land use, Soil)
A=RKLSCP
Where:
A = The average soil loss for the given period (t/ha/year)
R = Rainfall erosivity factor
K = Soil erodibility factor
L = Length of slope factor
S = Steepness of slope factor
C = Cropping management factor
P = Conservation practice factor

Erosivity – defined as the potential ability of rain to cause erosion.

Erodibility – defined as the susceptibility of the soil to be eroded.

Cropping Management Factor – represent the relative effectiveness of different crop & & management

Conservation Practice Factor – represents the relative effectiveness of specific soil conservation practices in reducing soil
erosion.