CPESC Erosion Prediction (RUSLE and
MUSLE)
What is sediment yield - Answer-the amount of eroded soil that is delivered to a point in the watershed
that is remote from the origin of the detached soil particles
Sediment yield does not include _______________? - Answer-the sediment that is deposited after it is
eroded but before it reaches the point of interest in the watershed.
Do RUSLE and USLE estimate sediment yield? - Answer-NO
What does RUSLE stand for? - Answer-Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation
What do both the RUSLE and USLE compute? - Answer-the annual erosion expected on field slopes
What is the RUSLE equation? - Answer-A=RxKxLxSxCxP
What does the "A" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-spatial average soil loss and a temporal
average soil loss per unit of area. Expressed in the units selected for K and the period selected for R.
(generally expressed as tons per acre per year)
, What does the "R" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-rainfall-runoff erosivity factor (rainfall
index plus a factor for any significant runoff from snow melt)
What does the "K" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-soil erodibility factor (the soil loss rate per
erosion index unit for a specified soil)
What does the "L" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-slope length factor (ratio of soil loss from
the field slope length compared to a standard length of 72.6 ft under identical conditions)
What does the "S" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-slope steepness factor (the ratio of soil loss
from the field slope compared to a 9% slope under identical conditions)
What does the "C" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-cover management factor (the ratio of soil
loss from an area with specified cover and management to soil loss from an identical area in bare
condition)
What does the "P" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-erosion control practice factor (the ratio of
soil loss with a certain conservation practice to that of no practice)
On a long uniform slope, how does the erosion on the top half generally differ from the bottom half? -
Answer-The top erosion is generally much lower than the bottom
Soil loss equations are significantly less accurate for which type of events? - Answer-Specific weather
events
Soil loss equations are most accurate at predicting the average soil loss over the _________________? -
Answer-Long term
USLE formula can be used for estimating soil loss from what condition which RUSLE cannot? - Answer-
disturbed forested conditions
MUSLE)
What is sediment yield - Answer-the amount of eroded soil that is delivered to a point in the watershed
that is remote from the origin of the detached soil particles
Sediment yield does not include _______________? - Answer-the sediment that is deposited after it is
eroded but before it reaches the point of interest in the watershed.
Do RUSLE and USLE estimate sediment yield? - Answer-NO
What does RUSLE stand for? - Answer-Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation
What do both the RUSLE and USLE compute? - Answer-the annual erosion expected on field slopes
What is the RUSLE equation? - Answer-A=RxKxLxSxCxP
What does the "A" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-spatial average soil loss and a temporal
average soil loss per unit of area. Expressed in the units selected for K and the period selected for R.
(generally expressed as tons per acre per year)
, What does the "R" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-rainfall-runoff erosivity factor (rainfall
index plus a factor for any significant runoff from snow melt)
What does the "K" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-soil erodibility factor (the soil loss rate per
erosion index unit for a specified soil)
What does the "L" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-slope length factor (ratio of soil loss from
the field slope length compared to a standard length of 72.6 ft under identical conditions)
What does the "S" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-slope steepness factor (the ratio of soil loss
from the field slope compared to a 9% slope under identical conditions)
What does the "C" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-cover management factor (the ratio of soil
loss from an area with specified cover and management to soil loss from an identical area in bare
condition)
What does the "P" stand for in the RUSLE formula? - Answer-erosion control practice factor (the ratio of
soil loss with a certain conservation practice to that of no practice)
On a long uniform slope, how does the erosion on the top half generally differ from the bottom half? -
Answer-The top erosion is generally much lower than the bottom
Soil loss equations are significantly less accurate for which type of events? - Answer-Specific weather
events
Soil loss equations are most accurate at predicting the average soil loss over the _________________? -
Answer-Long term
USLE formula can be used for estimating soil loss from what condition which RUSLE cannot? - Answer-
disturbed forested conditions
