Do Upland Soil Conservation Measures Reduce Watershed Sediment Yield?

摘要

Implementation of conservation measures do not always result in an immediate and measurable sediment yield reduction at the outlet of large watersheds. In this study, instantaneous suspended sediment and discharge measurements, taken in 1943-1948 and again in 2004-2008, in the Fort Cobb Reservoir watershed were used to estimate the downstream cumulative effects of 60 years of conservation practices on sediment yield. The analysis showed a substantial reduction in mean annual sediment yield between 1943- 1948 and 2004-2008. This reduction was attributed to the gradual implementation of land use conversion and broad range of conservation measures over a 60- year time span.