Application of the Universal Soil Loss Equation in the Lake Erie Drainage Basin


Book Description

This report described the procedures used to determine potential gross erosion (PGE) in the U.S. portion of the Lake Erie drainage basin. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was used in conjunction with the LEWMS-developed Land Resources Information System (LRIS) to determine gross erosion in the basin under existing conditions, and to evaluate the effect on gross erosion of several crop management options. These options included: reduce all soil losses to T (soil loss tollerance value), ban fall plowing, use winter cover crop, reduce tillage (chisel plow, disc, etc.), and conservation tillage (no-till on better-drained soils, chisel plow on soils with intermediate drainage). The report describes development of the USLE variables and gives samples of the output which is published as an appendix to this report. (Author).