Soil erosion - Rainfall thresholds

Rainfall thresholds for soil erosion by water were determined based on rainfall data for a 23-year period (1987–2009) and long-term field data on rain splash, slope wash, and linear erosion in an agricultural foothill catchment in southern Poland. Stationary measurement of soil erosion by water was conducted on runoff plots in Dworski Potok catchment located in the village of Łazy, in the lowest marginal zone of the Carpathian Foothills (Brzesko Foreland). The catchment covers the area of 0.29 km2, the ranges of altitude being 227-275 m a.s.l. In determining threshold values, the definition of erosive rain was adopted from the USLE model, and rainfall erosivity [EI30] and maximum 30-minute rainfall intensity [I30] were used as the main parameters to assess rainfall’s ability to trigger erosion.