Ministry of Forests Forest Science Program
		Abstract for FRDA Report 228

		Rainfall Simulation, Soil Infiltration, and Surface Erosion on Skidroad Surfaces-Nelson Forest Region
		Authors or Ministry Contacts: Paul R. Commandeur and Ed F. Wass
		Branch: Research
		Subject: Erosion, Mass Wasting and Landslides
		Series: FRDA Report
		Other details: Published December 1994

Abstract

Rainfall simulation experiments were conducted on bladed, skidroad-constructed services located in the Nelson Forest Region to explain trends in infiltration rate and surface erosion as functions of soil texture, and to help confirm or revise a Surface Erosion Hazard Key contained in Developing timber harvesting prescriptions to minimize site degradation - Interior sites, a field guide. Twenty-four plots were established among 12 sites on sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and silt loam soil textures. Due to the limited sample size, differences in infiltration rate and surface erosion according to soil texture were not significant, although trends of decreasing infiltration and increasing surface erosion were observed with increasingly finer soil textures. On average, the infiltration rate at the end of 2 hours of simulated rainfall was 1.85 cm/hr, 1.64 cm/hr, and 1 .32 cm/hr for the sandy loam, fine sandy loam, and silt loam plots, respectively. Over the 2 hours of simulated rainfall, the mean mass of erosion on an area in basis was about 2.0 t/ha on the sandy loam plots, 3.3 t/ha for the fine sandy loam group, and 4.4 t/ha for the silt loam group. The findings of this study largely support how the factors related to infiltration, surface erosion, and slope gradient are presently setup in the revised Surface Erosion Hazard Key.

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