1 Technical Service Provider Training National Association of Independent Crop Consultants January 20-23, 2010 Wyndham Orlando Resort 8001 International Drive Orlando, Florida “Conservation Activity Plans – An Opportunity for IPM” Presented by: USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service In Cooperation With IPM Institute of North America, Inc

2 Technical Service Provider Training Overview of RUSLE2 Predicting Soil Erosion using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE 2) Tim Pilkowski, State Conservation Agronomist, Maryland, USDA NRCS

What is RUSLE2 ? R evised U niversal S oil L oss E quation, Version 2  NRCS erosion prediction tool used for conservation planning  Estimates soil loss from rill and interrill erosion caused by rainfall and overland flow

TYPES OF EROSION Three types of Soil Erosion –Sheet Erosion –Rill –Gully  RUSLE2 only predicts the soil loss from the first two

Ephemeral/Gully Erosion Rill Erosion Sheet Erosion Water Erosion

RUSLE2 Features Intended to describe changes/scenarios for implementing conservation practices Intended to describe main effects (what is actually happening in the field)

RUSLE2 Features  Measures the Tolerable Soil Loss (T) Expressed as Average Annual Soil Loss in Tons/Acre/Year  Measures the Soil Conditioning Index or SCI  Measures the Soil Tillage Intensity Rating or STIR  Fuel or Energy Use  EQIP Conservation Activity Plans

Sheet & Rill (Rill & Interrill) Erosion Prediction RUSLE2 1.Climate 2.Soil 3.Management (Crops and Field Operations) 4.Length of Slope 5.Slope Steepness 6.Supporting Practices

Climate - r factor  Based per county – 10-yr, 24-hr rainfall, in – Annual precipitation, in  Annual-sum of daily values  Daily value=average annual fraction that occurs on a given day – Varies during the year

Soil Erodibility – k factor Based on type of soil Based on factors such as – Drainage class (well drained, poorly drained, etc…) – Capability class – Capability subclass – Highly erodible

Cover-Management – c factor Crop & Crop Rotation Tillage Canopy cover Crop residue Application of surface and buried materials –Examples Live plant material Plant residue and litter Applied mulch Rock Tillage

SLOPE LENGTH – l factor SLOPE STEEPNESS – s factor  Field measurement  Measurement of Slope lengths for eroding portions of hillslopes  Measurement of Overland flow slope length  Measurement of Steepness

Supporting Practices – p factor Contouring Strip systems Terrace/Diversion, Grassed waterway

Overland Flow Slope Length Deposition Overland flow slope length Eroding portion slope length RUSLE2 ESTIMATES TO HERE

RUSLE2 website

16 Tim Pilkowski Maryland State Conservation Agronomist (443) For more information contact: Questions?