Project Number: 3602-12220-009-01
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 01, 2004
End Date: Aug 31, 2009

Objective:
Quantify erosion processes on steep loess slopes at different topographic locations as affected by different hydrologic and land management practices; determine the effectiveness of different soil conservation practices and erosion control techniques for steep loess hillslopes; evaluate the applicability of ARS erosion and water quality models at steep loess hillslopes and watersheds. Quantify processes of soil water dynamics in dryland cropping systems as affected by different crops and cropping systems. Quantify ephemeral gully erosion at the Chinese NE Black Soil Region.

Approach:
Select field sized areas or small watersheds susceptible for gully erosion develoment with different land uses such as cropland, grass land and agro-forestry; characterize topographic and soil profile properties; quantify rill and gully development; implement different hillslope and gully erosion control practices such as buffer strips, at different spatial scales; monitor water and sediment yield from selected fields or watersheds and make routine topographic measurements at areas where changes occur.