Soil Detachment from Clods by Rainfall: Effects of Wind, Mulch Cover, and Initial Soil Moisture

Abstract

ABSTRACT When rainfall duration-intensity and clod size were similar for air-dried clods, rainfall detached 2.68 times more soil when accompanied by a 25-mph wind than when there was no wind. Consequently, the probability of wind accompanying rain is an important con-sideration in determining mulch-cover requirements to reduce soil detachment and subsequent sediment transport. When mulch cover and windspeed were similar, much less soil was detached from field-moist than from air-dry clods. Soil detachment from clods by rainfall did not differ among mulches of winter wheat, grain sorghum, and corn if the mulch quantity was expressed as percentage soil cover.