Feasibility analysis of parameters estimation for rill erosion in WEPP model under different hydraulic gradients

Abstract: Rill erosion is one of the main sediment sources. Rill erodibility and critical shear stress are essential parameters for soil erosion prediction for Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEEP) model. Soil subsurface hydraulic gradient on soil loss is important to an accurate prediction of soil erosion and channel initiation. The objectives of this study were 1) to quantitatively explore the response of parameters of WEPP to different subsurface hydraulic gradients; and 2) to investigate the relationship between measured and calculate values in WEPP of critical shear stress. Taking typical yellow soil as example, runoff scouring experiment and a method of measuring critical shear stress were conducted by using a V-shaped soil pan under a slope of 5%. The experiments were carried out in Jinyun Mountain of the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, China (106°22′E, 29°45′N). A total of 5 hydraulic gradients were ?1.43, ?0.71, 0, 0.71 and 1.43 m/m and 3 discharges were 0.55, 1.58 and 2.51 L/min, respectively. Average runoff, average sediment, soil detachment rate and shear stress were determined by collecting runoff samples every 30 s intervals in 8 minutes for each experimental treatment. Rill erodibility and critical shear stress were calculated in WEPP model. The measured value of critical shear stress was determined by varying the flow rate until erosion began when soil particles were continuously detached. Results showed that the average runoff for all the experiments increased with the increase of hydraulic gradient. The average sediment increased with the increase of hydraulic gradient when discharges were 0.55 and 1.58 L/min, showing a change range of 2.55-5.77 and 14.58-28.74 g, respectively. However, when the hydraulic gradient was increased from ?1.43 to 0 m/m and then to 1.43 m/m for 2.51 L/min discharge, the average sediment exhibited a trend of first sharp decrease from 46.10 to 24.48 g and then slight increase from 24.48 to 29.21 g. When the discharge was increased from 0.55 to 1.58 L/min and then to 2.51 L/min under the drainage conditions (hydraulic gradient from ?1.43 to ?0.71 m/m), the average sediment increased by 217.40%-217.39% and 64.38%-66.20%, respectively. However, when the discharge was increased from 1.58 to 2.51 L/min under the saturation/seepage conditions (hydraulic gradient from 0 to 1.43 m/m), the average sediment only increased by 1.64%-17.41%. The average sediment under the drainage conditions was 42.24%-88.32% higher than that under saturation/seepage conditions for 2.51 L/min discharge. The soil detachment rate decreased firstly and then changed stably with the increase of scouring time under the saturation/ seepage conditions, and the similar trend of soil detachment rate was found under the drainage conditions for 0.55 L/min discharge. However, the change tread of soil detachment rate were fluctuated under the drainage conditions with the increase of discharge, and the fluctuation of soil detachment rate under 2.51 L/min discharge was stronger than that under 1.58 L/min discharge. The average value of rill erodibility for the 5 hydraulic gradients was 2.51×10?2 s/m. The value of rill erodibility under the saturation/seepage condition was 3.07×10?2 s/m, and was then 1.78 times higher than that under drainage conditions. When the hydraulic gradient was ?1.43 m/m, the critical shear stress was nearly equal between the calculated value in WEPP and the measured value. However, when hydraulic gradient ranged from ?0.71 to 1.43 m/m, the calculated value overestimated from 14.24% to 55.02% with an average overestimate of 36.85% compared to the measured value. Moreover, an exponential relationship was fitted between the calculated value in WEPP model and the measured value of critical shear stress (R2 was 0.77, Nash coefficient was 0.66, P value was smaller than 0.01). This study not only provides a guidance for controlling soil erosion on yellow soil region, but also offers an important database for correcting critical shear stress of rill erosion in WEPP.