Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Soil erosion Data processing'

This study was born out of the desire to analyze the complex soil management problem faced by individual economic agents as well as society. The focus of this study, however, was on the theoretical formulation and estimation of partial equilibrium dynamic economic models directed toward optimizing the private use of the soil resource. In particular, four empirical representative farm models were formulated. Solutions to the four representative farm models showed that sizable reductions in topsoil loss, which contributes to non-point source pollution, and aggravates the crop productivity impacts of soil erosion, can be accomplished by adopting alternative support practices. Because of the change in support practices, reductions in the present value of net returns are expected, but this decrease in return was found to be minimal when compared to reductions in topsoil loss. Policy implications as well as several policy recommendations stemming from those results, with respect to soil conservation, are outlined and analyzed.
Ph. D.

Digital satellite remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been used effectively to determine the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) output for a number of North Texas watersheds. This method involves determining the values of each of the USLE factors and using these factors as information layers within the GIS.

This study investigates the effect of changes in map scale on the error in the development of areal map units and their associated erosion severity measurements of New Zealand’s (NZ) Land Use Capability (LUC) surveying system. A map scale of 1:50,000 was used in the underlying data (i.e., a LUC survey) of an Erosion Susceptibility Classification (ESC) system, which was developed by Bloomberg and others (2011) of the University of Canterbury for the Ministry for the Environment’s (MFE) 2010 proposed National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry. The ESC was intended for local erosion management decisions, yet most literature would classify the map scale of 1:50,000 as more appropriate for regional management issues. Thus, this study will test two finer 1:10,000 scale datasets against the current 1:50,000 national LUC areal map units and their erosion severity measurements of the underlying data for the ESC system, to quantify the level of agreement. This study first attempted to identify a unique discriminating parameter of high erosion severity. A case study was conducted in the Sherry River catchment, located in the Tasman District of the South Island, NZ. The Sherry River Case Study had two aims; the first was to investigate the correlation between the Melton ratio and LUC erosion severity. This was accomplished by calculating the Melton ratio, a tested morphometric factor that describes basin (watershed) ruggedness, using Irvine’s (2011) Geographic Information Systems (GIS) debris-flow model. The product of this GIS debris-flow model, a calculated Melton ratio ≥ 0.50 with the areal extent outlined by a River Environment Classification (REC) order one polygon, were designated the areas of interest (AOIs). The Melton ratio was then tested against LUC erosion severity using the Spearman’s Ranked Correlation Coefficient, within the designated AOIs. A field investigation was conducted to verify debris-flow in GIS identified AOIs. Only five of the thirteen AOIs identified showed evidence of debris-flow. Two were un-checked due to accessibility and the others had a high degree of fluvial activity, which indicates a high probability that surface evidence of alluvial erosion deposition was erased. Nominal association between the two measurements of erosion (Melton ratio and LUC erosion severity) was found at the map scales of 1:50,000 or 1:10,000. Therefore the Melton ratio was not recommended as an independent parameter of erosion severity. The second aim of the Sherry River Catchment study was to assess the sensitivity of empirically generalised LUC areal map units and their erosion severity measurements to spatial resolution, that is, what is the effect of agreement between the smallest measurable value when looking at LUC map units and their erosion severity measurements recorded at two different map scales. A hard classification accuracy assessment was chosen to accomplish this objective. An accuracy assessment is a statistical model, which provides a probability of error (uncertainty), in essence a goodness-of-fit measurement, and quantified the agreement between a sample and reference dataset. This was accomplished by the calculation of an Overall accuracy (i.e., overall thematic agreement), Producer’s accuracy, and a User’s accuracy analytical statistics. The Producer’s accuracy refers to the probability that an area of sampled erosion severity category in the sample map is classified as such according to the reference map, while the user’s accuracy refers to the probability that a point labelled as a certain erosion severity in the sample map has that severity rating in reality (i.e., according to the reference map). An accuracy assessment also includes a second goodness-of-fit test, the Kappa statistic (K ̂), which measures the agreement between the sample and references map as well as chance agreement. An accuracy assessment of the AOIs within the Sherry Catchment Study area using an 85% significance criterion was conducted. This accuracy assessment investigated a sample LUC survey measured at the map scale of 1:10,000, as compared to the referenced underlying data of the ESC (1:50,000 map scale). Overall accuracy was marginal (69%) with equally marginal levels of Producer’s and User’s accuracy. The Kappa statistic showed a marginal level of significance according to Landis and Koch (1977) (K ̂ = 44%). The disagreement seen between the two LUC surveys, which were empirically developed using different map scales, provides evidence of high spatial resolution sensitivity, when comparing areal map units and erosion severity measurements. To further investigate evidence of spatial resolution sensitivity in LUC surveying, a second case study was conducted using a LUC survey across a broad geographical area of the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, NZ. A sample dataset from the LUC survey, empirically generalised at 1:10,000 map scale by the Horizons Regional Council, was compared to the referenced underlying data of the ESC. There was a moderately-strong consistency found between the assessors of each LUC survey using Spearman’s Ranked Correlation Coefficient. This provides evidence of limited surveyor bias, as each map was made using empirical judgment. The accuracy assessment’s overall agreement was 63% and as for the previous case study, had equally low Producer’s and User’s accuracy levels. The Kappa statistic for this case study was K ̂= 46%, a moderate chance agreement. This evidence, along with the evidence provided by the Sherry River Catchment Case study, suggested that the MFE’s ESC system is sensitive to changes in map scale and that any decision based on it will have different results when its underlying data is produced at different spatial resolutions. It is therefore recommended that MFE reassess the map scales and resolutions of its underlying data, given that the ESC’s purpose is for local level environmental management, before imposing the system as a regulatory requirement in the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006.
Mayne, Paul W., Committee Chair ; Goldsman, David, Committee Member ; Lai, James, Committee Member ; Rix, Glenn J., Committee Member ; Santamarina, J. Carlos, Committee Member.

Soil erosion by water can cause agricultural soil losses, desertification, water pollution, reservoir sedimentation, local excess of erosion (such as bridge scour) or deposition, etc. For this reason, the assessment of soil erosion and sediment transport is a key component of integrated catchment management. One of the most useful and up-to-date tools available to catchment managers for soil erosion and sediment transport assessment is distributed modelling. During the last few decades, many sedimentological distributed models were developed and applied for a wide range of climates and basins. Their main advantage is that they allow spatial interpolation or extrapolation of their results. Nevertheless, their use is still limited by some constraints. One of the most relevant limitations to the use of such models is the lack of recorded sediment transport data to be used for model calibration and validation. It is widely recognised that both sediment discharge series and soil erosion measurements are only available in a few and small- to medium-size experimental catchments. The aim of this dissertation is to investigate the possibility of using reservoir sedimentation data as a source of proxy information for sedimentological model calibration and validation. In order to carry out this task, a distributed sedimentological model called TETIS was tested in set of catchments with different sediment data availability. First of all, the TETIS model, developed over the last years by the research group of hydrological and environmental modelling of the Technical University of Valencia, is described, especially focusing on the new features developed within this dissertation (sedimentological sub-model automatic calibration algorithm, small pond sediment retention module, etc.). Then, the model is applied to three catchments with different sediment data availability. The first case-study is the Goodwin Creek catchment (Mississippi, US), an experimental catchment with high sediment transport data availability. The model performance is evaluated, and some considerations are made on the estimation of the sediment volume deposited into the drainage network at the beginning of a rainstorm. The second case-study is the Rambla del Poyo catchment (Valencia, Spain), a medium size semi-arid catchment draining to a coastal lagoon with severe sedimentation problems. The TETIS sedimentological sub-model is calibrated and validated using check-dam sedimentation volumes as an estimator of the total sediment transport. A detailed description of the alluvial stratigraphy infilling a check dam that drains a 12.9 km2 sub-catchment was used as indirect information of sediment yield data. A further application was also developed in this catchment in order to investigate the possibility of calibrating and validating both the hydrological and the sediment sub-models by using reservoir sedimentation volumes and employing neither water nor sediment discharge direct records. The third case-study is the Ésera River catchment (Huesca, Spain), a 1,500 km2 Pyrenean catchment drained by a large reservoir. The depositional history of the reservoir was reconstructed and used for sediment sub-model implementation. The model results were compared with gauged suspended sediment data in order to verify model robustness. The results of this dissertation indicate that TETIS model is a robust tool which provides a reliable reconstruction of the catchment sediment cycle. Its implementation is subject to data availability, both for parameter estimation and for model calibration and validation. Nevertheless, this dissertation proved that sediment records can be replaced by reservoir sedimentation volumes with satisfactory results, taking into account reservoir trap efficiency and sediment dry bulk density. Two modelling approaches were proposed for sediment model implementation, depending on the data availability. These methodologies proved to be consistent and provided a correct estimation of the sediment transport. Nevertheless, further research is needed to address model limitations and to reduce model results uncertainty
Bussi, G. (2014). Implementation of a distributed sediment model in different data availability scenarios [Tesis doctoral]. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/36534
Alfresco

Drought is the most costly hazard among all natural disasters. Despite the significant improvements in drought modeling over the last decade, accurate provisions of drought conditions in a timely manner is still one of the major research challenges. In order to improve the current drought monitoring and forecasting skills, this study presents a hybrid system with a combination of remotely sensed data assimilation based on particle filtering and a probabilistic drought forecasting model. Besides the proposed drought monitoring system through land data assimilation, another novel aspect of this dissertation is to seek the use of data assimilation to quantify land initial condition uncertainty rather than relying entirely on the hydrologic model or the land surface model to generate a single deterministic initial condition. Monthly to seasonal drought forecasting products are generated using the updated initial conditions. The computational complexity of the distributed data assimilation system required a modular parallel particle filtering framework which was developed and allowed for a large ensemble size in particle filtering implementation. The application of the proposed system is demonstrated with two case studies at the regional (Columbia River Basin) and the Conterminous United States. Results from both synthetic and real case studies suggest that the land data assimilation system significantly improves drought monitoring and forecasting skills. These results also show how sensitive the seasonal drought forecasting skill is to the initial conditions, which can lead to better facilitation of the state/federal drought preparation and response actions.

The static cone penetrometer is an in-situ testing tool which was originally developed to derive information on soil type and soil strength. More recently, it has found application in liquefaction assessment. Typical cone penetrometers are heavy duty devices which are operated with the assistance of a drill rig. However, this capacity is not necessary in the case of field studies of liquefaction, since liquefaction usually occurs at relatively shallow depths. This thesis is directed to the goal of the development of a miniature, lightweight cone penetrometer which can be used in earthquake reconnaissance studies related to liquefaction problems. The research for this thesis involved four principal objectives: 1. Development of procedures to automatically acquire and process measurements from a miniature electrical cone; 2. Develop and perform tests in a model soil-filled bin to calibrate the cone; 3. Evaluate the utility and accuracy of the cone results as a means to assess conventional soil properties; and, 4. Conduct a preliminary evaluation of the cone results in the context of recently developed methods to predict liquefaction potential. The work in regard to the first objective involved assembling and writing software for a microcomputer based data acquisition system. Successful implementation of this system allowed data from the tests to be rapidly processed and displayed. Calibration tests with the cone were carried out in a four foot high model bin which was filled ten times with sand formed to variety of densities. The sand used is Monterey No. 0/30, a standard material with well known behavioral characteristics under static and dynamic loading. The test results showed the cone to produce consistent data, and to be able to readily distinguish the varying density configurations of the sand. Using the results in conventional methods for converting cone data into soil parameters yielded values which were consistent with those expected. Liquefaction potential predictions were less satisfying, although not unreasonable. Further research is needed in this area both to check the reliability of the prediction procedures and the ability to achieve the desired objectives.
M.S.

The process based soil erosion simulation model EROSION 3D is applied on regional scale for the federal state of Saxony/Germany. This survey is aimed on modeling soil loss, sediment transport, deposition resp. the input of particle attached nutrient and pollutant input into surface water bodies for 10years storm event and three land use scenarios. The available region-wide geo-data were preprocessed to be used in the parameterization interface DPROC. This software has been extended to parameterize large areas as well as small catchments. The basis of parameterization is a relational data base consisting of measured or estimated specific model soil parameters. These values have been derived by heavy rainfall simulation experiments below field conditions. The data base has been extended by the new results, which cover different soil tillage practices. The new experiments were conducted with a newly developed methodology. The experimental results show a significant relation of soil loss from the mechanical impact due to soil tillage. Only the non-tillage practice is able to protect soils efficiently from erosional soil losses. In order to describe particle attached nutrient and pollutant transport, soil samples were analyzed determining the element content of different particle fractions. The regional scale simulations identify the Saxonian Loess Belt as hotspot of soil erosion. However considerable amounts can also be expected in certain areas of the low mountain range. Particle attached element inputs into surface water bodies correspond to main sediment delivery areas. The amounts of erosional soil losses could be reduced to 90 % in case of consequently and area-wide transformation to conservation tillage practices. The calculated phosphorous inputs into surface waters on catchment scale are proofed to be valid. Compared to empirical based phosphorous and heavy metal yields the results in this study exceed this findings by a wide range. The differences are caused by lacking an event based consideration, which disregards system maximal impacts. Since erosion is an exclusive non continuous process, those maximal impacts are highly relevant and have to be considered in case of planning and execution of erosion and water protection concepts
In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird das prozessbasierte Erosionsprognosemodell EROSION 3D flächendeckend auf regionaler Ebene für den Freistaat Sachsen angewendet. Ziel der Untersuchungen ist es, Bodenabtrag, Sedimenttransport und -deposition bzw. den Eintrag partikelgebundener Nähr- und Schadstoffe in Oberflächengewässer für ein 10jähriges Starkniederschlagsereignis und drei verschiedene Landnutzungsszenarien zu beschreiben. Dazu wurden im Vorfeld verfügbare Geo-Basisdaten so aufbereitet, dass sie für die semiautomatische Parametrisierung mit der Software DPROC verwendet werden können. Diese Software wurde so erweitert, dass sowohl größere Einzugsgebiete als auch einzelne Teileinzugsgebiete parametrisiert werden können. Grundlage der Parametrisierung bildet eine relationale Datenbank, die auf Messwerten bzw. davon abgeleiteten Schätzwerten aus Starkregenexperimenten unter Feldbedingungen basiert. Der vorhandene Datenfundus wurde durch neue Ergebnisse zu verschiedenen Verfahren der ackerbaulichen Bodenbearbeitung mittels neu entwickelter Methodik korrigiert und erweitert. Die experimentellen Ergebnisse zeigen eine deutliche Abhängigkeit des Feststoffaustrages von der Eingriffsintensität bei der Bodenbearbeitung. Dabei ist die Direktsaat die einzige Bewirtschaftungsform, die den Boden effektiv vor Erosion schützt. Um den selektiven partikelgebundenen Nähr- und Schadstofftransport prozessbasiert abzuschätzen, wurden die Stoffgehalte für die Partikelfraktionen Sand, Schluff und Ton an Bodenproben bestimmt. Die regionalskalierten Simulationen identifizieren die sächsische Lössregion als Schwerpunkt der Bodenerosion in Sachsen. Beträchtliche Bodenabträge sind darüber hinaus in den sächsischen Mittelgebirgen zu erwarten. Partikelgebundene Stoffeinträge in Oberflächengewässer verteilen sich in Abhängigkeit von den Sedimentliefergebieten. Die Bodenumlagerungsprozesse einschließlich der damit verbundenen partikelgebundenen Stoffeinträge lassen sich bei konsequenter Umstellung auf konservierende Bewirtschaftungsmethoden entsprechend den Modellergebnissen um mehr als 90 % reduzieren. Im Rahmen der Modellvalidierung konnte die Zuverlässigkeit der berechneten Phosphorausträge auf Einzugsgebietsebene belegt werden. Verglichen mit empirisch basierten mittleren jährlichen Abschätzungen sind die in dieser Arbeit berechneten ereignisbezogenen Phosphor- und Schwermetallausträge um ein Vielfaches höher. Zurückzuführen sind diese Unterschiede vor allem darauf, dass bei den rein empirischen Ansätzen, die maximale Belastungsspitzen unberücksichtigt bleiben. Da Erosion stets ein diskontinuierlicher Prozess ist, sind diese Belastungsspitzen im höchsten Maße relevant und bei der Planung und Durchführung von Erosions- und Gewässerschutzkonzepten unbedingt zu berücksichtigen

O presente trabalho é uma tentativa de validar uma metodologia para estimar a produção de sedimentos para todo território Brasileiro. Foram utilizadas ferramentas de sistemas de informação geográfi ca (GIS), estatística espacial, modelagem e gerenciamento de bancos de dados aplicados a conservação de solos, permitindo combinar a equação Universal de Perda do Solo (USLE) com diferentes modelos de taxa de transferência de sedimentos (SDR). A metodologia utilizou como base de teste dados da rede sedimentométrica brasileira composta de 201 bacias. As estimativas foram analisadas por regressão linear múltipla obtendo valores de R2 de até de 46% entre dados observados e modelados. Observou-se a pouca sensibilidade do modelo USLE em relação ao fator de erosividade (fator R) quando duas observações por métodos diferentes diferem espacialmente em seus valores máximos entre 18000 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.ano-1 e 28000 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.ano-1 . Por outro lado o modelo mostrou-se sensível ao fator de cobertura do solo (Fator C da USLE) afetando as taxas máximas estimadas de erosão entre 160 Mg.ha-1.ano-1 ate 460 Mg.ha-1.ano-1. Nesse sentido a metodologia sugerida pode ser utilizada para dar indicativos sobre mudanças de uso da terra em escalas regionais e subsidiar tomadas de decisões quanto ao planejamento e gestão territorial.
This work is an attempt to validate a methodology for estimating sediment production for the whole Brazilian territory. Tools were used geographic information systems (GIS), spatial statistics, modeling and database management applied to soil conservation, allowing combine the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) with different models of sediment transfer rate (SDR). The methodology used as test data of Brazilian sedimentometric network composed of 201 basins. The estimates were analysed by multiple linear regression getting values of R2 to 46% between observed and modelled data. Noted the low sensitivity of USLE model in relation to the erosivity factor (R factor) when two observations by different methods differ in their maximum values and spatial distribution of 18000 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.year-1 and 28000 MJ.mm.ha-1.h-1.year-1. the other aspects the model proved to be sensitive to soil coverage factor (factor C of USLE) affecting the estimated maximum rates of erosion between 160 Mg.ha-1.year-1 up to 460 Mg.ha-1.year-1.

Controls on denudation in the eastern Bolivian Andes are evaluated by synthesis of new and existing denudation estimates from basin-morphometry, stream - powered fluvial incision, landslide mapping, sediment flux, erosion surfaces, thermochronology, foreland basin sediment volumes, and structural restorations. Centered at 17.5 °S, the northeastern Bolivian Andes exhibit high relief, a wet climate, and a narrow fold- thrust belt. In contrast, the southeastern Bolivian Andes have low relief, a semi-arid climate, and a wide fold-thrust belt. Basin -morphometry indicates a northward increase in relief and relative denudation. Stream-power along river profiles shows greater average incision rates in the north by a factor of 2 to 4. In the south, profile knickpoints with high incision rates are controlled by fold-thrust belt structures such as the surface expressions of basement megathrusts, faults, folds, and lithologic boundaries. Landslide and sediment-flux data are controlled by climate, elevation, basin morphology, and size and show a similar trend; short -term denudation-rate averages are greater in the north (1- 9 mm/yr) than the south (0.3-0.4 mm/yr). Long-term denudation-rate estimates including fission track, basin fill, erosion surfaces, and structural restorations also exhibit greater values in the north (0.2-0.8 mm/yr) compared to the south (0.04-0.3 mm/yr). Controls on long-term denudation rates include relief, orographic and global atmospheric circulation patterns of precipitation, climate change, glaciation, and fold-thrust belt geometry and kinematics. The denudation synthesis supports two conclusions: 1) denudation rates have increased towards the present 2) an along-strike disparity in denudation (greater in the north) has existed since at least the Miocene and has increased towards the present. Denudation rates and controls suggest that Bolivian mountain morphology is controlled by both its orientation at mid-latitude, and the feedbacks between uplift, kinematics, orographic effects on precipitation, glaciation, and the increased erosion that accompanies orogenesis.

Earthquake triggered landslides cause loss of life, destroy structures, roads, powerlines, and pipelines and therefore they have a direct impact on the social and economic life of the hazard region. The damage and fatalities directly related to strong ground shaking and fault rupture are sometimes exceeded by the damage and fatalities caused by earthquake triggered landslides. Even though future earthquakes can hardly be predicted, the identification of areas that are highly susceptible to landslide hazards is possible. For geographical information systems (GIS) based deterministic slope stability and earthquake-induced landslide analysis, the grid-cell approach has been commonly used in conjunction with the relatively simple infinite slope model. The infinite slope model together with Newmark's displacement analysis has been widely used to create seismic landslide susceptibility maps. The infinite slope model gives reliable results in the case of surficial landslides with depth-length ratios smaller than 0.1. On the other hand, the infinite slope model cannot satisfactorily analyze deep-seated coherent landslides. In reality, coherent landslides are common and these types of landslides are a major cause of property damage and fatalities. In the case of coherent landslides, two- or three-dimensional models are required to accurately analyze both static and dynamic performance of slopes. These models are rarely used in GIS-based landslide hazard zonation because they are numerically expensive compared to one dimensional infinite slope models. Building metamodels based on data obtained from computer experiments and using computationally inexpensive predictions based on these metamodels has been widely used in several engineering applications. With these soft computing methods, design variables are carefully chosen using a design of experiments (DOE) methodology to cover a predetermined range of values and computer experiments are performed at these chosen points. The design variables and the responses from the computer simulations are then combined to construct functional relationships (metamodels) between the inputs and the outputs. In this study, Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are used to predict the static and seismic responses of slopes. In order to integrate the soft computing methods with GIS for coherent landslide hazard analysis, an automatic slope profile delineation method from Digital Elevation Models is developed. The integrated framework is evaluated using a case study of the 1989 Loma Prieta, CA earthquake (Mw = 6.9). A seismic landslide hazard analysis is also performed for the same region for a future scenario earthquake (Mw = 7.03) on the San Andreas Fault.

In order to preserve groundwater resources from contamination by volatile organic compounds and to clean up sites contaminated with the compounds, we should understand fate and transport of contaminants in the subsurface systems and physicochemical processes involving remediation technologies. To enhance our understanding, numerical studies were performed on the following topics: (i) multiphase flow and contaminant transport in subsurface environments; (ii) biological transformations of contaminants; (iii) in-situ air sparging (IAS); and, thermal-enhanced venting (TEV). Among VOCs, trichloroethylene (TCE) is one of the most-frequently-detected chemicals in the contaminated groundwater. TCE and its daughter products (cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cDCE) and vinyl chloride (VC)) are chosen as target contaminants. Density-driven advection of gas phase is generated by the increase in gas density due to vaporization of high-molecular weight contaminants such as TCE in the unsaturated zone. The effect of the density-driven advection on fate and transport of TCE was investigated under several environmental conditions involving infiltration and permeability. Biological transformations of contaminants can generate byproducts, which may become new toxic contaminants in subsurface systems. Sequential biotransformations of TCE, cDCE, and VC are considered herein. Under different reaction rates for two bioreaction kinetics, temporal and spatial concentration profiles of the contaminants were examined to evaluate the effect of biotransformations on multispecies transport. IAS injects clean air into the subsurface below the groundwater table to remediate contaminated groundwater. The movement of gas and the groundwater as a multiphase flow in the saturated zone and the removal of TCE by IAS application were analyzed. Each fluid flow under IAS was examined in terms of saturation levels and fluid velocity profiles in a three-dimensional domain. Several scenarios for IAS systems were simulated to evaluate remedial performance of the systems. TEV was simulated to investigate its efficiency on the removal of a nonaqueous phase liquid in the unsaturated zone under different operational conditions. For numerical studies herein, the governing equations for multiphase flow, multispecies transport, and heat energy in porous media were developed and solved using Galerkin finite element method. A three-dimensional numerical model, called TechFlowMP model, has been developed.

碩士
國立屏東科技大學
水土保持系所
106
In previous studies, the tradition disdrometer has been used for unmeasurable raindrops velocity. Normally, the median diameter (D_50) is used for calculate kinetic enegy and reference terminal velocity regression also used to simulate rainfall and used as sensor to measure momentum. Then, using the kinetic energy or momentum (data) in order to estimate the soil erosion. In this study, the 1 minute high-resolution rainfall data including raindrops diameter and speed and quantity were collected using the Laser Precipitaion Monitor (LPM). The data were applied to verify the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and median diameter can estimate the kinetic energy. Then, soil erosion would be estimated through kinetic energy or momentum. 11 variables which related to Rainfall, Raindrops, Momentum, Kinetic energy, USLE_Kinetic energy, Duration, Rainfall Time, I_"30" , USLE_R, Focused Intensity and Erosion ability index were preprocessed and used to estimate soil erosion for 60% of slope experimental area by Data mining. The results show that precised estimation of soil erosion was obtained using more variables. Using less data of soil erosion could be reasonable to calculate, however, the less data contain more extreme value. The 1 minute data resolution regression equation can be written as: A=4.067×Rainfall Time+776.482×Focused Intensity

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document
Dissertation (MInst Agrar (Land-Use Planning))--University of Pretoria, 2006.
Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development
unrestricted

The budgeting of water fluxes in the soil is an extremely complex problem, and is compounded by subsurface controls and environmental forces which modify the soil water dynamics. Of the controlling factors, the underlying geology and the soil media are vital components and are often misinterpreted. The geology and soil media components have been neglected mostly because of the difficulty in monitoring the dominant processes that are linked to the water balance in the subsurface. Until recently, hydrometry has been the dominant method of measuring and monitoring the subsurface water balance. Hydrometric measurements have included water content measurement by Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR), soil water potential measurements through tensiometry and groundwater water level monitoring. Hydrometry is still the preferred method of monitoring soil water dynamics, but measurements are generally localised and lateral accumulations and fluxes of water are difficult to interpret. Using geophysical methods and instrumentation to define soil water dynamics could have numerous advantages over conventional hydrometric methods. Among the geophysical techniques dedicated to image the near surface, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) surveying has been increasingly used for environmental, engineering and geological purposes during the last decade. The aim of this study is to determine if ERT observations could yield the accuracy required to define vertical and lateral soil water dynamics. The ERT instrumentation uses an electrical current that is inserted into the subsurface through various electrode arrangements and a resulting resistance is determined at the take-out electrodes. With the aid of a modelling package these resistance values are reproduced into a pseudosection of underlying resistivity distribution which is influenced by the moisture conditions of the subsurface medium. This geophysical method is primarily used for geological studies but by doing repeated surveys with the same electrode positioning, moisture fluctuation monitoring could be realised. Use of the ERT technique is at the forefront of soil water dynamics monitoring. The main objective of this study is to propose that the ERT instrumentation could be a more efficient and more informative method of studying soil water dynamics than the traditional soil water dynamics monitoring equipment, particularly to define lateral fluxes and accumulation of subsurface water. The study site is a well instrumented transect in the Nkuhlu Exclosures in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, where ongoing soil water dynamics are monitored. The project aims to compare the ERT data to fiR data on a daily basis, over a period of three weeks, during the rain season, monitoring event based wetting and the subsequent drying phases of the soils in a 2-dimensional section. The project and its fmdings are shown to be valuable to the hydrological interpretation of the subsurface water balance. The application is shown to be particularly important to ecohydrology, in the monitoring of soil water dynamics in a 2-dimensional transect and understanding how the natural cycles of water distribution and plant uptake are linked together. The study demonstrates that ERT can be used to observe changes in the water storage and lateral fluxes within a transect which supports varying vegetation and ecologies. The linking of water fluxes in the hydrology cycle to uptakes and controls in the ecosystem has been developed into the research focus known as ecohydrology The use of the ERT instrument can only benefit this research focus in the future. The study demonstrates that ERT instrumentation can be used to provide valuable understanding of subsurface water dynamics and in turn the effects on ecohydrology.
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.

The process based soil erosion simulation model EROSION 3D is applied on regional scale for the federal state of Saxony/Germany. This survey is aimed on modeling soil loss, sediment transport, deposition resp. the input of particle attached nutrient and pollutant input into surface water bodies for 10years storm event and three land use scenarios. The available region-wide geo-data were preprocessed to be used in the parameterization interface DPROC. This software has been extended to parameterize large areas as well as small catchments. The basis of parameterization is a relational data base consisting of measured or estimated specific model soil parameters. These values have been derived by heavy rainfall simulation experiments below field conditions. The data base has been extended by the new results, which cover different soil tillage practices. The new experiments were conducted with a newly developed methodology. The experimental results show a significant relation of soil loss from the mechanical impact due to soil tillage. Only the non-tillage practice is able to protect soils efficiently from erosional soil losses. In order to describe particle attached nutrient and pollutant transport, soil samples were analyzed determining the element content of different particle fractions. The regional scale simulations identify the Saxonian Loess Belt as hotspot of soil erosion. However considerable amounts can also be expected in certain areas of the low mountain range. Particle attached element inputs into surface water bodies correspond to main sediment delivery areas. The amounts of erosional soil losses could be reduced to 90 % in case of consequently and area-wide transformation to conservation tillage practices. The calculated phosphorous inputs into surface waters on catchment scale are proofed to be valid. Compared to empirical based phosphorous and heavy metal yields the results in this study exceed this findings by a wide range. The differences are caused by lacking an event based consideration, which disregards system maximal impacts. Since erosion is an exclusive non continuous process, those maximal impacts are highly relevant and have to be considered in case of planning and execution of erosion and water protection concepts.:Inhaltsverzeichnis I Abbildungsverzeichnis V Tabellenverzeichnis IX Abkürzungsverzeichnis XI Symbole und Einheiten XIII Zusammenfassung XV Abstract XVI 1 Einleitung 1 1.1 Motivation 1 1.2 Aufbau der Arbeit 4 1.3 Stand der Forschung 6 1.3.1 Prozesse und Skalen der Bodenerosion 6 1.3.2 Einflussgrößen der Bodenerosion 8 1.3.3 Erosionsschäden 13 1.3.4 Gesetzliche Regelungen zum Erosionsschutz 15 1.3.5 Erosionsmodellierung 16 1.3.6 Niederschlagssimulationen zur Parametererfassung 25 1.3.7 Kornfraktionsspezifische Verteilung partikelgebundener Nähr- und Schadstoffe 27 2 Material und Methoden 30 2.1 Untersuchungsgebiet 30 2.1.1 Allgemeine Charakteristik 30 2.1.2 Flächennutzung 31 2.1.3 Boden und Relief 31 2.1.4 Gewässer 33 2.1.5 Klima 34 2.1.6 Planungsebenen 34 2.2 Simulationsmodell EROSION 3D 36 2.2.1 Modellgrundlagen 36 2.2.2 Modellalgorithmen 39 2.2.3 Modellparameter 48 2.3 Parametrisierungsinterface DPROC 50 2.3.1 Programmgrundlagen 50 2.3.2 Datenbank 51 2.3.3 Flächenauswahl und Datenzuschnitt 53 2.4 Experimentelle Untersuchungen 56 2.4.1 Untersuchungsstandorte 56 2.4.2 Durchführung von Erosionsexperimenten mit Starkregensimulation 59 2.4.3 Parameterableitung 62 2.4.4 Korrektur- und Erweiterung der DPROC-Datenbank 65 2.5 Ermittlung der Phosphor- und Schwermetalleinträge in Oberflächengewässer 68 2.5.1 Regionalisierung und Validierung amtlicher Datenquellen 68 2.5.2 Probenahmen und Laboranalysen 68 2.5.3 Bestimmung der kornfraktionsspezifischen Phosphor- und Schwermetallgehalte 70 2.5.4 Ermittlung der Phosphor- und Schwermetalleinträge in Oberflächengewässer unter Verwendung der Simulationsergebnisse 71 2.6 Statistische Auswertung der experimentellen Daten 73 2.7 GIS-Daten und Datenaufbereitung 74 2.7.1 Reliefdaten 74 2.7.2 Bodendaten 75 2.7.3 Landnutzung und Bodenbearbeitung 75 2.7.4 Niederschlagsdaten 77 2.7.5 Andere Flächendaten 78 2.8 Simulationsrechnungen 79 2.8.1 Aufteilung in Untereinheiten 79 2.8.2 Szenarien 79 2.9 Risikoabschätzung 81 2.9.1 Landwirtschaftliche Nutzflächen 81 2.9.2 Oberflächengewässer 82 2.10 Modellvalidierung 84 2.10.1 Gebietsauswahl und Gebietscharakteristik 84 2.10.2 Datengrundlagen der Modellvalidierung 85 2.10.3 Modellparametrisierung 86 3 Ergebnisse 90 3.1 Experimentelle Ergebnisse 90 3.1.1 Starkregensimulationen 90 3.1.2 Ableitung sachsenweiter kornfraktionsspezifischer Stoffgehalte 91 3.2 Ergebnisse aus GIS-Operationen 98 3.2.1 Reliefdaten 98 3.2.2 Landnutzungsdaten 98 3.2.3 Andere GIS-Daten 99 3.3 Ergebnisse aus Simulationsrechnungen 105 3.3.1 Landwirtschaftliche Nutzflächen 105 3.3.2 Oberflächengewässer 112 3.4 Ergebnisse zur Modellvalidierung 126 3.4.1 Aus Messdaten abgeleitete Ergebnisse 126 3.4.2 Simulationsrechnungen zur Modellvalidierung 130 4 Diskussion 132 4.1 Experimentelle Ergebnisse 132 4.1.1 Messdaten 132 4.1.2 Abgeleitete Daten 135 4.1.3 Zusammenfassende Bewertung der experimentellen Daten 141 4.1.4 Kornfraktionsspezifische Stoffgehalte und -verteilungen 142 4.2 GIS-Daten 145 4.2.1 Reliefdaten 145 4.2.2 Bodendaten 145 4.2.3 Landnutzungsdaten 146 4.2.4 Regionalisierte Stoffgehalte 147 4.3 Weiterentwicklung und Korrektur der DPROC-Datenbank 149 4.4 Modellvalidierung 153 4.5 Simulationsrechnungen 156 4.5.1 Bodenabtrag und Deposition 156 4.5.2 Sediment- und partikelgebundener Stofftransport 163 5 Schlussfolgerung 170 6 Literatur 176 Anhang II A I Erosionsmodelle i A II DPROC-Übersetzungstabellen ii A III GIS-Daten viii A IV Interpolierte Oberboden-Schwermetallgehalte xii A V Daten der Starkregensimulationen xix A VI Elementgehalte der Bodenproben lxi A VII Simulationsrechnungen lxxi
In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird das prozessbasierte Erosionsprognosemodell EROSION 3D flächendeckend auf regionaler Ebene für den Freistaat Sachsen angewendet. Ziel der Untersuchungen ist es, Bodenabtrag, Sedimenttransport und -deposition bzw. den Eintrag partikelgebundener Nähr- und Schadstoffe in Oberflächengewässer für ein 10jähriges Starkniederschlagsereignis und drei verschiedene Landnutzungsszenarien zu beschreiben. Dazu wurden im Vorfeld verfügbare Geo-Basisdaten so aufbereitet, dass sie für die semiautomatische Parametrisierung mit der Software DPROC verwendet werden können. Diese Software wurde so erweitert, dass sowohl größere Einzugsgebiete als auch einzelne Teileinzugsgebiete parametrisiert werden können. Grundlage der Parametrisierung bildet eine relationale Datenbank, die auf Messwerten bzw. davon abgeleiteten Schätzwerten aus Starkregenexperimenten unter Feldbedingungen basiert. Der vorhandene Datenfundus wurde durch neue Ergebnisse zu verschiedenen Verfahren der ackerbaulichen Bodenbearbeitung mittels neu entwickelter Methodik korrigiert und erweitert. Die experimentellen Ergebnisse zeigen eine deutliche Abhängigkeit des Feststoffaustrages von der Eingriffsintensität bei der Bodenbearbeitung. Dabei ist die Direktsaat die einzige Bewirtschaftungsform, die den Boden effektiv vor Erosion schützt. Um den selektiven partikelgebundenen Nähr- und Schadstofftransport prozessbasiert abzuschätzen, wurden die Stoffgehalte für die Partikelfraktionen Sand, Schluff und Ton an Bodenproben bestimmt. Die regionalskalierten Simulationen identifizieren die sächsische Lössregion als Schwerpunkt der Bodenerosion in Sachsen. Beträchtliche Bodenabträge sind darüber hinaus in den sächsischen Mittelgebirgen zu erwarten. Partikelgebundene Stoffeinträge in Oberflächengewässer verteilen sich in Abhängigkeit von den Sedimentliefergebieten. Die Bodenumlagerungsprozesse einschließlich der damit verbundenen partikelgebundenen Stoffeinträge lassen sich bei konsequenter Umstellung auf konservierende Bewirtschaftungsmethoden entsprechend den Modellergebnissen um mehr als 90 % reduzieren. Im Rahmen der Modellvalidierung konnte die Zuverlässigkeit der berechneten Phosphorausträge auf Einzugsgebietsebene belegt werden. Verglichen mit empirisch basierten mittleren jährlichen Abschätzungen sind die in dieser Arbeit berechneten ereignisbezogenen Phosphor- und Schwermetallausträge um ein Vielfaches höher. Zurückzuführen sind diese Unterschiede vor allem darauf, dass bei den rein empirischen Ansätzen, die maximale Belastungsspitzen unberücksichtigt bleiben. Da Erosion stets ein diskontinuierlicher Prozess ist, sind diese Belastungsspitzen im höchsten Maße relevant und bei der Planung und Durchführung von Erosions- und Gewässerschutzkonzepten unbedingt zu berücksichtigen.:Inhaltsverzeichnis I Abbildungsverzeichnis V Tabellenverzeichnis IX Abkürzungsverzeichnis XI Symbole und Einheiten XIII Zusammenfassung XV Abstract XVI 1 Einleitung 1 1.1 Motivation 1 1.2 Aufbau der Arbeit 4 1.3 Stand der Forschung 6 1.3.1 Prozesse und Skalen der Bodenerosion 6 1.3.2 Einflussgrößen der Bodenerosion 8 1.3.3 Erosionsschäden 13 1.3.4 Gesetzliche Regelungen zum Erosionsschutz 15 1.3.5 Erosionsmodellierung 16 1.3.6 Niederschlagssimulationen zur Parametererfassung 25 1.3.7 Kornfraktionsspezifische Verteilung partikelgebundener Nähr- und Schadstoffe 27 2 Material und Methoden 30 2.1 Untersuchungsgebiet 30 2.1.1 Allgemeine Charakteristik 30 2.1.2 Flächennutzung 31 2.1.3 Boden und Relief 31 2.1.4 Gewässer 33 2.1.5 Klima 34 2.1.6 Planungsebenen 34 2.2 Simulationsmodell EROSION 3D 36 2.2.1 Modellgrundlagen 36 2.2.2 Modellalgorithmen 39 2.2.3 Modellparameter 48 2.3 Parametrisierungsinterface DPROC 50 2.3.1 Programmgrundlagen 50 2.3.2 Datenbank 51 2.3.3 Flächenauswahl und Datenzuschnitt 53 2.4 Experimentelle Untersuchungen 56 2.4.1 Untersuchungsstandorte 56 2.4.2 Durchführung von Erosionsexperimenten mit Starkregensimulation 59 2.4.3 Parameterableitung 62 2.4.4 Korrektur- und Erweiterung der DPROC-Datenbank 65 2.5 Ermittlung der Phosphor- und Schwermetalleinträge in Oberflächengewässer 68 2.5.1 Regionalisierung und Validierung amtlicher Datenquellen 68 2.5.2 Probenahmen und Laboranalysen 68 2.5.3 Bestimmung der kornfraktionsspezifischen Phosphor- und Schwermetallgehalte 70 2.5.4 Ermittlung der Phosphor- und Schwermetalleinträge in Oberflächengewässer unter Verwendung der Simulationsergebnisse 71 2.6 Statistische Auswertung der experimentellen Daten 73 2.7 GIS-Daten und Datenaufbereitung 74 2.7.1 Reliefdaten 74 2.7.2 Bodendaten 75 2.7.3 Landnutzung und Bodenbearbeitung 75 2.7.4 Niederschlagsdaten 77 2.7.5 Andere Flächendaten 78 2.8 Simulationsrechnungen 79 2.8.1 Aufteilung in Untereinheiten 79 2.8.2 Szenarien 79 2.9 Risikoabschätzung 81 2.9.1 Landwirtschaftliche Nutzflächen 81 2.9.2 Oberflächengewässer 82 2.10 Modellvalidierung 84 2.10.1 Gebietsauswahl und Gebietscharakteristik 84 2.10.2 Datengrundlagen der Modellvalidierung 85 2.10.3 Modellparametrisierung 86 3 Ergebnisse 90 3.1 Experimentelle Ergebnisse 90 3.1.1 Starkregensimulationen 90 3.1.2 Ableitung sachsenweiter kornfraktionsspezifischer Stoffgehalte 91 3.2 Ergebnisse aus GIS-Operationen 98 3.2.1 Reliefdaten 98 3.2.2 Landnutzungsdaten 98 3.2.3 Andere GIS-Daten 99 3.3 Ergebnisse aus Simulationsrechnungen 105 3.3.1 Landwirtschaftliche Nutzflächen 105 3.3.2 Oberflächengewässer 112 3.4 Ergebnisse zur Modellvalidierung 126 3.4.1 Aus Messdaten abgeleitete Ergebnisse 126 3.4.2 Simulationsrechnungen zur Modellvalidierung 130 4 Diskussion 132 4.1 Experimentelle Ergebnisse 132 4.1.1 Messdaten 132 4.1.2 Abgeleitete Daten 135 4.1.3 Zusammenfassende Bewertung der experimentellen Daten 141 4.1.4 Kornfraktionsspezifische Stoffgehalte und -verteilungen 142 4.2 GIS-Daten 145 4.2.1 Reliefdaten 145 4.2.2 Bodendaten 145 4.2.3 Landnutzungsdaten 146 4.2.4 Regionalisierte Stoffgehalte 147 4.3 Weiterentwicklung und Korrektur der DPROC-Datenbank 149 4.4 Modellvalidierung 153 4.5 Simulationsrechnungen 156 4.5.1 Bodenabtrag und Deposition 156 4.5.2 Sediment- und partikelgebundener Stofftransport 163 5 Schlussfolgerung 170 6 Literatur 176 Anhang II A I Erosionsmodelle i A II DPROC-Übersetzungstabellen ii A III GIS-Daten viii A IV Interpolierte Oberboden-Schwermetallgehalte xii A V Daten der Starkregensimulationen xix A VI Elementgehalte der Bodenproben lxi A VII Simulationsrechnungen lxxi