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Gully Development in the Deep Loess Hills Region of Central Missouri
Author(s) -
Roloff G.,
Bradford J. M.,
Scrivner C. L.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1981.03615995004500010026x
Subject(s) - throughflow , loess , geology , surface runoff , hydrology (agriculture) , erosion , stratigraphy , gully erosion , debris flow , streamflow , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , debris , soil science , tectonics , paleontology , drainage basin , oceanography , ecology , cartography , geography , biology
A small gully in a headslope position in loess over glacial till was instrumented to monitor the downslope flow of water within the soil profile (throughflow) and sampled to investigate soil properties related to the processes of gully development. The importance of local stratigraphy to subsurface water movement and the relations of both to localized failure events were examined. Throughflow convergence toward the gully head was the predominant factor in lessening soil strength and in precipitating gully failure events. The exact failure mechanisms were not clear. Failure occurred along cracks created by either freezing‐thawing or wetting‐drying cycles. Overland flow was responsible for the removal of failure debris but not for bank erosion.