1. 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. 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

3. 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

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

5. Ephemeral/Gully Erosion Rill Erosion Sheet Erosion Water Erosion

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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

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

15. RUSLE2 website http://fargo.nserl.purdue.edu/rusle2_dataweb/RUSLE2_Index.htm

16. 16 Tim Pilkowski Maryland State Conservation Agronomist tim.pilkowski@md.usda.gov (443) 482-2962 For more information contact: Questions?