WEPP: predicting water erosion using a process-based model

Laflen, J.M.; Elliot, W.J.; Flanagan, D.C.; Meyer, C.R.; Nearing, M.A. 1997. WEPP: predicting water erosion using a process-based model. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, March-April 1997, 96-102.

Keywords: WEPP, erosion modeling,

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Abstract: In 1940, A. W. Zingg published an equationexpressing the effect of slope steepness andIlength on soil erosion, to be followed a yearlater by D. D. Smith‘s paper (1941) that in-cluded a conservation practice factor and a tol-erable soil loss limit based on the loss of soil fer-tility. This research began a scientific approachto managing a tract of land so that erosion wasless than some tolerable amount. This technol-ogy was further developed by the addition of asoil factor by Browning et al. (1947) and by theMusgrave equation (1947). In 1961, the Uni-versal Soil Loss Equation was released, followedby revisions in 1965 and 1978. In 1992,RUSLE-The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equa-tion (Renard et al. 1991, 1997) was released. In1993, RUSLE was implemented by NRCS. AWindow-based RUSLE, with a graphical userinterface is planned for release in 1997.

Moscow FSL publication no. 1997k