EROSION MODELLING UNDER DIFFERENT LAND USE

Soil erosion has been recognized as a global threat against the sustainability of natural ecosystem. Erosion Modelling Under Different Land Use Management Practices is the research work carried out at the University of Western Sydney (UWS), to assist in combating against this threat. This research work is devoted in addressing the soil erosion issues associated with urban construction activities. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was employed in this research work and the parameters associated with the model were calibrated. This model was chosen for calibration, as it has been proven as an easy to use tool yet providing reasonable result. Validation of the model was also carried out with an independent data set. Large-scale rainfall simulators developed at UWS were used for rainfall simulation at two sites with diverse soil types: dispersive clayey soil at Penrith and highly permeable sandy soil at Somersby, both in New South Wales (NSW). 30 mins duration rainfall intensities with Average Recurrence Intervals (ARIs) ranging from one year to 10 year were applied to generate artificial rainfall.