Abstract
Rainfall can cause serious soil loss in the Loess Plateau hilly and gully region, but little focus has been placed on the extreme rainstorm effects on unpaved loess road soil erosion. A field survey method was used to investigate the erosional effects of the “7.26” heavy rainfall event on unpaved loess roads in the Jiuyuangou watershed of the Loess Plateau, China. The results showed that the average and maximum widths of the eroded gullies that formed on the unpaved roads were 0.65–1.48 m and 1.00–3.60 m, respectively. The average and maximum depths of the eroded gullies were 0.42–1.13 m and 0.75–4.30 m, respectively. The average width-to-depth ratio was 1.31, indicating that the widening effect was greater than the downcutting effect in the eroded gullies. In addition, the gully density ranged from 0.07 to 0.29 m m−2, and the road surface dissection degree ranged from 0.03 to 0.41 km2 km−2. Eroded gullies generally developed at the slope toe of the cut bank side. The average eroded gully width and depth at turns in the road were 1.47–2.64 times and 1.30–3.47 times greater, respectively, than those in other road sections. The road erosion modulus increased from the upper section to the lower section of the roads. The average road erosion modulus of the study catchment was 235,000 t km−2. Turns in the road were associated with collapses, sinkholes and other gravitational erosion phenomena. The amount of road erosion under extreme rainfall conditions is mainly related to the interactions among road length, width, slope and soil bulk density. Our results provide a useful reference for developing further measures for preventing road erosion on the Loess Plateau.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arnaez J, Larrea V, Ortigosa L (2003) Surface runoff and soil erosion on unpaved forest roads from rainfall simulation tests in northeastern Spain. Catena 57: 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2003.09.002
Bilby RE, Sullivan K, Duncan SH (1989) The generation and fate of road-surface sediment in forested watersheds in southwestern Washington. Forest Science 35(2): 453–468. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(89)90113-8
Bai XD, Dang WQ, Ai SZ (2009) Study on the safety evaluation method of dam system project in Jiuyuangou watershed. Journal of Water Resources& Water Engineering 20(1): 54–57. (In Chinese)
Brakensiek DL, Rawls WJ (1994) Soil containing rock fragments: effects on infiltration. Catena 23(1–2): 99–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(89)90113-8
Cao SX, Li C, Gao WS, et al. (2006) Impact of planting grass on terrene roads to avoid soil erosion. Landscape and Urban Planning 78: 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2005.07.007
Cao LX, Zhang KL, Zhang W (2009) Detachment of road surface soil by flowing water. Catena 76: 155–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2008.10.005
Carlos E, Ramos S (2010) Sediment production from unpaved roads in a sub-tropical dry setting — Southwestern Puerto Rico. Catena 82: 146–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2010.06.001
Cao LX, Zhang KL, Zhang ZD (2008) Road distribution and controlling factors in watershed of the Loess Plateau. Geographical Research 27(6): 1271–1280. https://doi.org/10.11821/yj2008060006
Cao LX, Zhang KL, Yin L (2014) Factors affecting rill erosion of unpaved loess roads in China. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms 39(13): 1812–1821. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3569
Dong J, Zhang K, Guo Z (2012) Runoff and soil erosion from highway construction spoil deposits: A rainfall simulation study. Transportation Research Part D 17(1): 8–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2011.09.007
Foster GR (1986) Understanding ephemeral gully erosion. Lal R (2000) Physical management of soils of the tropics: priorities for the 21st century. Soil Science 165(3): 191–207. https://doi.org/10.1097/00010694-200003000-00002
Foltz RB, Copeland NS, Elliot WJ (2009) Reopening abandoned forest roads in northern Idaho, USA: Quantification of runoff, sediment concentration, infiltration, and interrill erosion parameters. Journal of Environmental Management 90: 2542–2550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.01.014
Frankl A, Poesen J, Scholiers N, et al. (2013) Factors controlling the morphology and volume (V) — length (L) relations of permanent gullies in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms 38(14): 1672–1684. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3405
Figueiredo TD, Poesen J (1998) Effects of surface rock fragment characteristics on interrill runoff and erosion of a silty loam soil. Soil & Tillage Research 46(1–2): 81–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-1987(97)00080-9
Jacky C, Simon M, Peter F, et al. (2005) Sediment concentration changes in runoff pathways from a forest road network and the resultant spatial pattern of catchment connectivity. Geomorphology 68(3): 257–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2004.11.020
Lane PN, Sheridan GJ (2002) Impact of an unsealed forest road stream crossing: water quality and sediment sources. Hydrolprocess 16: 2599–2612. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1050
Liu BY, Liu XY, Yang QK, et al. (2017) Investigation report on comprehensive rainfall resistance of soil and water loss in small watersheds of the Loess Plateau. Bulletin of Soil and Water Conservation 37(4): 2, 349–350. (In Chinese)
Luo XL (1956) Dividing the geomorphic types of the ditch and valley in the loess areas of weastern Shanxi, northern Shanxi, and eastern Gansu. Acta Geographica Sinica(3): 201–222. (In Chinese)
Luce CH, Black TA (2001) Spatial and Temporal Patterns in Erosion from Forest Roads. In influence of urban and forest land uses on the hydrologic- geomorphic responses of watershed, edited by M.S. Wigmosta and S.J. Burges. Water Resources Mono-graphs, American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.. pp 165–178.
Luce CH, Black TA (1999) Sediment unpaved from forest roads in western Oregon. Water Resources Research 35(8): 2561–2570.
Martínez-Zavala L, Jordán A (2010) Effect of rock fragment cover on interrill soil erosion from bare soils in Western Andalusia, Spain. Soil Use & Management 24(1): 108–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2007.00139.x
Megahan WF, Wilson M, Monsen SB (2001) Sediment Production From Granitic Cutslopes on Forest Roads in Idaho, USA. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms 26(2): 153–163. https://doi.org/10.1002/1096-9837(200102)26:2<153::aidesp172>3.0.co;2-0
Macdonald LH, Sampson RW, Anderson DM (2015) Runoff and road erosion at the plot and road segment scales, St. John, US Virgin Islands. Earth Surface Processes & Landforms 26(3): 251–272. https://doi.org/10.1002/1096-9837(200103)26:33.0.CO;2-X
Sidle RC, Sasaki S, Otsuki M, et al. (2004) Sediment pathways in a tropical forest: effects of logging roads and skid trails. Hydrological Processes 18: 703–720. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.1364
Shi ZH, Fang NF, Li L, et al. (2010) Modeling erosion processes on unpaved roads using KINEROS2. Geographical Research 29(3): 408–415. (In Chinese)
Tian FX, Wang ZL, Zhegn SQ, et al. (2007) Experiment modeling of soil erosion processes on loess roads based on simulated experiment. Bulltin of Soil and Water Conservation 27(2): 1–9. (In Chinese)
Wu YQ, Liu BY (2000) Gully, Gully erosion and prediction. Journal of Basic Science and Engineering 8(2): 134–142. (In Chinese)
Wang X, Li Z, Cai C, et al. (2012) Effects of rock fragment cover on hydrological response and soil loss from Regosols in a semi-humid environment in South-West China. Geomorphology 151–152(1): 234–242. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2007.00139.x
Wemple BC, Jones JA, Grant GE (2010) Channel Network Extension by Logging Roads in Two Basins, Western Cascades, Oregon. Jawra Journal of the American Water Resources Association 32(6): 1195–1207. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1996.tb03490.x
Wang DX, Hou SZ, Yang JS, et al. (2017) Analysis of the sediment source of flood formed by July 26 rainstorm in the wuding river basin. Yellow River 39(12): 18–21. (In Chinese)
Yang CC. (2008) study on runoff and sediment characteristics from unpaved road in three gorges reservoir area. Master Degree Thesis. Huazhong Agriculture University, China.
Ziegler AD, Giambelluca TW (1997) Importance of rural roads as source areas for runoff in mountainous areas of northern Thailand. Journal of Hydrology 196: 204–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(96)03288-X
Zheng SQ, Huo JL, Li Y (2004) Road erosion and prevention of hillside in the Loess Plateau. Bulltin of Soil and Water Conservation 24(1): 46–48. (In Chinese) https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-288X.2004.01.013
Acknowledgments
The research reported in this manuscript is funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFC0501604) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40771127). We thank the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Water Resources for their technical assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yang, B., Wang, Wl., Guo, Mm. et al. Soil erosion of unpaved loess roads subjected to an extreme rainstorm event: a case study of the Jiuyuangou watershed on the Loess Plateau, China. J. Mt. Sci. 16, 1396–1407 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-018-5211-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-018-5211-z