Runoff plot monitoring for soil erosion monitoring

• Extensively used
• Plots of (72.6*6)ft
• Comparison of erodibility with response to various
• factors affecting
• g vegetation vs barren land; smooth land vs slopy land, etc.
• Plot borders made from materials like woods, metals, etc.
• Two plots are hydrologically separated by borders
• Lower ends of plots are fitted with flattened funnel like chutes
• Concentrates and directs runoff and soil into collection toughs made of metals or concretes.

Advantages of runoff plot monitoring

• Long term measurement
• Plots correspond to 0.01 acre unit to discover parameters of USLE
• Accurate from plot scale if no loss from plots and collection tank
• Controlled plots can be created and data can be compared with others using USLE

Disadvantages of runoff plot monitoring

• Equipment failures including loss of runoff and sediment along the plot borders, overtopping of the collection tank, and potential livestock or wildlife damage to the plots
• the chance of improper site selection or plot installation
• difficulty in finding duplicate site conditions for the erosion plots
• potential rodents burrowing under the plot borders can result in loss of runoff and sediment
• wind erosion is not measured by this technique
• relatively high installation and maintenance costs
• the effect of the plot borders on erosion processes
• Erosion measured from small plots can underestimate or overestimate the erosion
• A couple factors could cause underestimates
• For one, the upper plot border could reduce overland flow within the plot.
• erodible material could be exhausted within the plot
• Overestimates can result from the fact that the disturbances along the plot border may increase detachable material