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A portable device to measure soil erosion/deposition in quarter‐drains
Author(s) -
Kornecki T. S.,
Fouss J. L.,
Prior S. A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.2008.00181.x
Subject(s) - ditch , erosion , deposition (geology) , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , sediment , drainage , geology , geotechnical engineering , geomorphology , ecology , biology
Assessment of soil loss/deposition from quarter‐drains (drainage ditches perpendicular to furrows) at specific locations or determining sediment transport within ditch systems following a rainfall event is difficult and time consuming. Automatic samplers are stationary and usually located at the end of plots to assess total sediment loss from a whole area. However, to quantify changes to cross‐sectional areas at specific points within a ditch system, a portable measuring tool is required. To precisely assess soil erosion along the length of a quarter‐drain, a portable device was designed and tested under typical field conditions. One person can effectively operate the device and because of its low cost, it is ideal for cases where budget constraints exist. The tool can measure depths up to 500 mm and easily be modified for usage with large ditches. The device was successfully employed in the spring and summer of 2003 and 2004 where it was utilized after rainfall events to assess soil erosion/deposition from quarter‐drains on sugarcane fields in southern Louisiana.