Assessment of the interrill and rill contributions to total soil loss from an upland field plot

Abstract

Erosion measurements were carried out on an upland field plot in the Loam Region of Belgium. The sediment being detached by splash on interrill areas is transported to the channel system mainly by interrill wash. Over the entire 7500 m² field plot, rill (and gully) erosion is more important than interrill erosion. However, the relative importance of interrill erosion varies in time and in space, due to changes of the interrill surface characteristics and the activation of sidewall and gullying processes in the channel network. These factors should be taken into account in a realistic rill-interrill erosion model.