Method for assessing rill erosion in disturbed tundra soils upon snowmelt in the Yamal Peninsula

摘要

A semiempirical equation for the prediction of rill erosion upon snow melting is deduced on the basis of field observations and quantitative measurements of rill erosion and snowmelt runoff on disturbed tundra soils in the Yamal Peninsula. A theoretically substantiated parameter--the ratio of bottom velocity v_b) of a stream to critical (bottom-eroding) velocity for the soil (v_(be))--serves as the main argument (independent variable) of this equation. The equations are derived for the estimation ofv_b and v_(be). The method and the scheme of erosion calculation are suggested permitting us both to reveal the erosion-prone localities that require erosion-control measures, and to estimate the environmental hazard of tundra-soil erosion.