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Land
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Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins
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Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (23 October 2024) | Viewed by 14566

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Vlassios Hrissanthou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Xanthi, Greece
Interests: rainfall-runoff; soil erosion; sediment transport; reservoir sedimentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Konstantinos Kaffas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry (DAGRI), University of Florence, 50145 Florence, Italy
Interests: catchment hydrology; soil moisture response; soil erosion; sediment transport; reservoir sedimentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil erosion in basins is mainly caused by rainfall and runoff. Soil erosion products are transported by runoff into the streams of the basin considered and through the streams to the basin outlet, which may also be the inlet of a natural or artificial lake. The quantification of the physical processes of soil erosion and sediment transport can be achieved by mathematical modeling including empirical, conceptual and physically based relationships. Field measurements, laboratory experiments, and satellite monitoring can be used for the verification of computational results. In recent years, quantification of stream sediment transport has been implemented by means of machine learning methods. Additionally, the uncertainty resulting from parameters included in sediment transport equations is visualized by fuzzy logic analysis. Intense and frequent rainfalls on basins have catastrophic consequences for both rural and urban settlements, namely the transport of large amounts of suspended sediment in the streams, mud floods, the removal of fertile soil, and the acceleration of reservoir sedimentation. The final aim of the computations mentioned above is the dimensioning of structures against soil erosion and stream sediment transport, e.g., check dams and retention basins. Management measures such as land use change and contour tilling can reduce soil erosion effects on cultivated land.

List of topics:

  • Mathematical modeling of soil erosion in basins due to rainfall and runoff;
  • Mathematical modeling of stream sediment transport;
  • Verification of computational results by means of field measurements;
  • Verification of computational results by means of laboratory measurements;
  • Application of machine learning methods to sediment transport problems;
  • Application of fuzzy regression analysis to sediment transport formulas;
  • Constructive and management measures against soil erosion and sediment transport.

Prof. Dr. Vlassios Hrissanthou
Dr. Konstantinos Kaffas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • soil erosion
  • stream sediment transport
  • field measurements
  • laboratory measurements
  • machine learning methods
  • fuzzy logic
  • constructive and management measures

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2502 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Rainfall Characteristics and Slope on Splash Detachment and Transport of Loess Soil
by June Liu, Fangyue Du, Xike Cheng, Xiaoqian Qi, Ning Wang, Nan Shen, Chunyan Ma and Zhanli Wang
Land 2024, 13(2), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13020189 - 5 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1296
Abstract
To identify the key parameters and develop accurate experimental models of detachment and transport, splash detachment and transport of loess soil were investigated in relation to the rainfall characteristics and slope. The experiment was conducted under 25 combinations of five rainfall intensities (60, [...] Read more.
To identify the key parameters and develop accurate experimental models of detachment and transport, splash detachment and transport of loess soil were investigated in relation to the rainfall characteristics and slope. The experiment was conducted under 25 combinations of five rainfall intensities (60, 84, 108, 132 and 156 mm h−1) and five slope gradients (0°, 5°, 10°, 15° and 20°), using a custom splash pan. Raindrop characteristics (diameter, velocity and kinetics) and splash mass were measured in downslope and upslope. The results indicated that rainfall intensity and slope contributed 94.77% and 0.46%, respectively, to the detachment rate, and 24.39% and 67.82%, respectively, to the transport rate. From a holistic viewpoint, the positive effect of slope became more visible on the detachment rate when the rainfall intensity exceeded 108 mm h−1, and on the transport rate when the slope exceeded 15°. Based on the rainfall simulator in this study, the rainfall kinetic energy (KE, J), raindrop median particle size (D50, mm) and raindrop terminal velocity (V, m s−1) all increased with increasing rainfall intensity (I) within the 60~108 mm h−1 range but decreased with increasing rainfall intensity within the 132~156 mm h−1 range. The rainfall intensity and raindrop characteristics (D50/V/KE) are the key parameters of splash detachment (Dr, g·m−2 min−1), and three detachment models were developed: (1) Dr = 0.1153 I1.09D500.79 (R2 = 0.99, NSE = 0.98, p < 0.01); (2) Dr = 0.0162 I1.11V1.22 (R2 = 0.99, NSE = 0.99, p < 0.01); and (3) Dr = 0.0813 I1.10KE0.18 (R2 = 0.99, NSE = 0.99, p < 0.01). The rainfall intensity and slope are the key parameters for splash transport (Tr, g·m−2 min−1), and the developed transport models could be expressed as: (1) Tr = 0.00657 I1.343S0.116 (R2 = 0.914, NSE = 0.874, p < 0.01) (slopes of 0°, 5° and 10°) and (2) Tr = 0.00218 I1.165S1.033 (R2 = 0.986, NSE = 0.986, p < 0.01) (slopes of 15° and 20°). The results of this study could enhance the understanding of soil splash detachment and transport on loess slopes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins)
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21 pages, 3206 KiB  
Article
Sediment Modelling of a Catchment to Determine Medium-Term Erosional Trends
by Devika Nair, Ken G. Evans and Sean M. Bellairs
Land 2023, 12(9), 1785; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12091785 - 14 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1252
Abstract
This study was part of a project designed to simulate the long-term landform equilibrium of a rehabilitated mine site. The project utilized event Fine Suspended Sediment (FSS) fluxes in a receiving stream following a rainfall event as an indicator of landform stability. The [...] Read more.
This study was part of a project designed to simulate the long-term landform equilibrium of a rehabilitated mine site. The project utilized event Fine Suspended Sediment (FSS) fluxes in a receiving stream following a rainfall event as an indicator of landform stability. The aim of this study was to use HEC-HMS to determine sediment and discharge quantity upstream to determine how it affects the downstream development of the catchment landform, in terms of sediment changes and geomorphology. Thus, the study focused on hydrology and sediment modelling of the upper catchment with HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Engineering Centre-Hydrologic Modelling System) to determine the daily discharge and sediment output at the catchment outlet. HEC-HMS was used to calibrate the stream discharge and FSS quantities at the catchment outlet to observed continuous discharge and FSS values. The calibration of the HEC-HMS model was carried out for two water years and then the same model parameters were used to validate the model for a third water year. The catchment discharge and FSS were calibrated and validated for continuous rainfall events against observed discharge and FSS data at the catchment outlet. The model was then run for a projected rainfall of 50 years. The denudation rate predicted by the model was 0.0245 mm per year, which falls in the range previously determined for the region. The simulated sediment output was compared to the rainfall trends over the years. As a result, the sediment spikes following a rainfall-runoff event gradually decreased over time. Reducing FSS spikes indicates that the landform gradually attains stability. This modelling study can be used for long-term simulations to determine erosion equilibrium over the years and to quantify sediment yield in catchments for projected time periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins)
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22 pages, 33774 KiB  
Article
Changes in Land-Cover/Land-Use Pattern in the Fortore River Basin (Southern Italy) and Morphodynamic Implications
by Paolo Magliulo, Angelo Cusano, Giovanni Iacomino Caputo and Filippo Russo
Land 2023, 12(7), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12071393 - 12 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1211
Abstract
In Southern Italy, studies dealing with the analysis of multidecadal land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes at the basin scale are scarce. This is an important gap, considering the deep interrelationships between LULC, soil erosion, and river and coastal dynamics. This study provides a contribution in [...] Read more.
In Southern Italy, studies dealing with the analysis of multidecadal land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes at the basin scale are scarce. This is an important gap, considering the deep interrelationships between LULC, soil erosion, and river and coastal dynamics. This study provides a contribution in filling this gap by analyzing the LULC patterns and changes in an area of southern Italy, i.e., the Fortore River basin, which occurred between 1960 and 2018. To this end, we conducted a GIS-aided comparison and analysis of LULC data from 1960, 1990, and 2018, respectively. The LULC changes were analyzed at both the basin and the physiographic unit scale. The results showed that most of the LULC changes occurred between the 1960s and 1990s, while from the 1990s onward, great stability in LULC was evident in the basin. The obtained data were mostly coherent with national-, regional-, and basin-scale trends, although some scale-dependent discrepancies were noted. The river and shoreline dynamics fully reflected the duration and the amount of phases of the changes in LULC stability at the basin scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins)
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12 pages, 5164 KiB  
Communication
Modelling the Effect of Keyline Practice on Soil Erosion Control
by Yamuna Giambastiani, Gherardo Biancofiore, Matteo Mancini, Antonio Di Giorgio, Riccardo Giusti, Stefano Cecchi, Lorenzo Gardin and Alessandro Errico
Land 2023, 12(1), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010100 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4446
Abstract
The global agricultural sector needs to implement good soil management practices, in particular to prevent erosion and to improve water-retention capacity. The introduction of tillage techniques along particular theoretical lines, called keylines, can make a significant contribution to improving the management of the [...] Read more.
The global agricultural sector needs to implement good soil management practices, in particular to prevent erosion and to improve water-retention capacity. The introduction of tillage techniques along particular theoretical lines, called keylines, can make a significant contribution to improving the management of the soil and agricultural crops. The keyline system has been around for less than 100 years. With this preliminary work, we performed a comparative analysis of two small river basins (less than 100 ha) before and after keyline application, based on GIS computational models (TWI and SIMWE). The calculation models were elaborated starting from a DTM with 2 m resolution, obtained from a LIDAR survey. The comparative analysis, in qualitative terms, showed a positive effect of the keylines, both in terms of erodibility and infiltration of runoff water. The use of GIS models to verify the effectiveness in the planning phase can constitute a decision support system that guides agronomists, technicians, and farmers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins)
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22 pages, 6588 KiB  
Article
Sensitivity Analysis in Mean Annual Sediment Yield Modeling with Respect to Rainfall Probability Distribution Functions
by César Antonio Rodríguez González, Ángel Mariano Rodríguez-Pérez, Raúl López, José Antonio Hernández-Torres and Julio José Caparrós-Mancera
Land 2023, 12(1), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010035 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2169
Abstract
An accurate estimation of the mean annual sediment yield from basins contributes to optimizing water resources planning and management. More specifically, both reservoir sedimentation and the damage caused to infrastructures fall within its field of application. Through a simple probabilistic combination function implemented [...] Read more.
An accurate estimation of the mean annual sediment yield from basins contributes to optimizing water resources planning and management. More specifically, both reservoir sedimentation and the damage caused to infrastructures fall within its field of application. Through a simple probabilistic combination function implemented in hydrometeorological models, this sediment yield can be estimated on a planning and management scale for ungauged basins. This probabilistic combination methodology requires the use of probability distribution functions to model design storms. Within these functions, SQRT-ET max and log-Pearson type III are currently highlighted in applied hydrology. Although the Gumbel distribution is also relevant, its use has progressively declined, as it has been considered to underestimate precipitation depth and flow discharge for high return periods, compared to the SQRT-ET max and log-Pearson III functions. The quantification of sediment yield through hydrometeorological models will ultimately be affected by the choice of the probability distribution function. The following four different functions were studied: Gumbel type I with a small sample size, Gumbel type I with a large sample size, log-Pearson type III and SQRT-ET max. To illustrate this, the model with these four functions has been applied in the Alto Palmones basin (South Iberian Peninsula). In this paper, it is shown that the application of Gumbel function type I with a small sample size, for the estimation of the mean annual sediment yield, provides values on the conservative side, with respect to the SQRT-ET max and log-Pearson type III functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins)
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19 pages, 3722 KiB  
Article
Soil Erosion across Scales: Assessing Its Sources of Variation in Sahelian Landscapes under Semi-Arid Climate
by Lawani Adjadi Mounirou, Roland Yonaba, Fowé Tazen, Gebiaw T. Ayele, Zaher Mundher Yaseen, Harouna Karambiri and Hamma Yacouba
Land 2022, 11(12), 2302; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122302 - 15 Dec 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2607
Abstract
Soil erosion varies in space and time. As the contributing surface area increases, heterogeneity effects are amplified, inducing scale effects. In the present study, soil erosion processes as affected by the observation scale and the soil surface conditions are assessed. An experimental field [...] Read more.
Soil erosion varies in space and time. As the contributing surface area increases, heterogeneity effects are amplified, inducing scale effects. In the present study, soil erosion processes as affected by the observation scale and the soil surface conditions are assessed. An experimental field scale setup of 18 plots (1–150 m2) with different soil surface conditions (bare and degraded, cultivated) and slopes (0.75–4.2%) are used to monitor soil losses between 2010 to 2018 under natural rainfall. The results showed that soil loss rates range between 2.5 and 19.5 t.ha−1 under cultivated plots and increase to 12–45 t.ha−1 on bare and degraded soils, which outlines the control of soil surface conditions on soil erosion. At a larger scale (38 km2), soil losses are estimated at 2.2–4.5 t.ha−1, highlighting the major contribution of scale. The scale effect is likely caused by the redistribution of sediments in the drainage network. These findings outline the nature and contribution of the emerging and dominant soil erosion processes at larger scales. At the plot scale, however, diffuse erosion remains dominant, since surface runoff is laminar and sediment transport capacity is limited, resulting in lower soil erosion rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantification of Soil Erosion and Sediment Transport in Basins)
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