A CONSERVATION DEFINITION OF EROSION TOLERANCE

Abstract

In the United States a widespread belief in the necessity for control of soil erosion has led to the support of vigorous measures by State and ~edera l agencies engaged in various phases of such control. In addition, millions of farmers, working individually and in organized groups, have put into practice the conservation ideas developed through scientific research and experience. All this effort has resulted, particularly during the last 30 years, in reducing the rate of loss of the soil resource. Although there is general agreement that any erosion represents a potential loss of an essential resource, there is no generally accepted standard for determining precisely what kind of erosion or how much is tolerable or permissible. Some support the view that efforts should be directed toward the elimination of all accelerated soil erosion and of some geologic erosion, while many others question this belief and even suggest the possibility that in some cases a certain amount of accelerated erosion is beneficial. This paper formulates an expression of erosion tolerance and related concepts to serve as a guide for future conservation research and practice.