Validation of Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model for low-volume forest roads

Elliot, W.J.; Foltz, R.B.; Luce, C.H. 1995. Validation of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model for low-volume forest roads. In: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Low-Volume Roads, Minneapolis, MN. Vol. I p. 178--186. Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, DC.

Keywords: Road erosion, runoff, low volume road

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Abstract: Erosion rates of recently graded nongravel forest roads were measured under rainfall simulation on five different soils. The erosion rates observed on 24 forest road erosion plots were compared with values predicted by the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) Model, Version 93.1. Hydraulic conductivity and soil erodibility values were predicted from methods developed for rangeland and cropland soils. It was found that on four of the five soils, runoff values were closely predicted and that the predicted erosion was not significantly different from the observed erosion when using rangeland methods for predicting soil erodibility. It was also found that interrill erosion rates were underpredicted using rangeland methods for predicting soil erodibility, but slightly overpredicted when using cropland interrill erodibility prediction methods. Rill erosion rates for road wheel ruts were closely predicted from rangeland rill erodibility algorithms.

There is an increased awareness of the importance of maintaining the global ecosystem with all its biologic diversity. The USDA Forest Service manages large areas of the nation’s forestlands and has an ongoing commitment to apply the best technology available in its management processes. One of the areas of concern in the forest ecosystem is the amount of sediment eroded from forest roads into waterways that serve as spawning and rearing habitats for fish and as habitats for aquatic macroinvertebrates. The authors have been participating in the development of the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP), a major interagency research and model development project. The major thrust of the WEPP project has been to predict soil erosion for agricultural and rangeland conditions. Further research is being conducted to apply the WEPP model to forest roads and harvest areas.

Moscow FSL publication no. 1995h