HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hastings, B. K. Articles by Smith, F. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hastings, B. K. Articles by Smith, F. M. GeoRef GeoRef Citation Agricola Articles by Hastings, B. K. Articles by Smith, F. M. Related Collections Watershed and Landscape Processes Soil Erosion Field-Scale Studies

SPECIAL SECTION: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

Spatial Variability in Rainfall Erosivity versus Rainfall Depth

Implications for Sediment Yield

^a Balance Hydrologics, Inc., 841 Folger Ave., Berkeley, CA 94710
^b Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mail Stop J495, Los Alamos, NM 87545, currently, Institute for the Study of Planet Earth, School of Natural Resources, and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721-0043
^c Department of Earth Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
^* Corresponding author (bhastings{at}balancehydro.com)

Received 7 February 2004.

Rainfall depth within small semiarid watersheds can have high spatial variability, but spatial variability in rainfall erosivity, a more direct determinant of sediment yield, has not been quantified. Using 12 tipping-bucket rain gauges within a 40-ha piñon [Pinus edulis Engelm)–juniper (Juniperus monosperma (Engelm.) Sarg.] woodland in New Mexico, we measured rainfall erosivity (EI₃₀) and associated precipitation and erosion metrics for 14 convective thunderstorms. Spatial variability in EI₃₀ had a median CV across storms of 22% (range: 9–73%), exceeded the median CV for rainfall depth (15%, range: 5–26%), and varied by up to a factor of five (5–25 N h^–1) within 300 m. EI₃₀ was better correlated with sediment yield measured in <0.1-ha microwatersheds (r² = 0.67; p < 0.001) than rainfall depth (r² = 0.43; p < 0.001). Our results highlight the potential importance for erosion related assessments of spatial variability in erosivity, which can be as great or greater than spatial variability in rainfall depth. The spatial variability in rainfall erosivity that we document here is relevant to erosion and contaminant transport issues near Los Alamos National Laboratory and may be applicable to other extensive semiarid areas.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. D. Newman and B. A. Robinson The Hydrogeology of Los Alamos National Laboratory: Site History and Overview of Vadose Zone and Groundwater Issues Vadose Zone J., August 16, 2005; 4(3): 614 - 619. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]