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Evaluating Increased Erosion Potential due to Wildfires

Evaluating Increased Erosion Potential due to Wildfires. Brian Drake CE394K – Fall 2005 Term Project Presentation. Study Area. Cedar Wildfire. Duration: 10/25/03 – 11/3/03 Size = 280,000 acres 2,232 homes destroyed 15 human deaths Suppression Cost: >$31 Mil.

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Evaluating Increased Erosion Potential due to Wildfires

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  1. Evaluating Increased Erosion Potential due to Wildfires Brian Drake CE394K – Fall 2005 Term Project Presentation

  2. Study Area

  3. Cedar Wildfire • Duration: 10/25/03 – 11/3/03 • Size = 280,000 acres • 2,232 homes destroyed • 15 human deaths • Suppression Cost: >$31 Mil

  4. Major Factors Affecting Soil Losses • Vegetative Cover • Soil Characteristics • Topography • Intensity of Storms

  5. Modeling Erosion • USDA Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) • A = R∙K∙LS∙C∙P • A = Soil loss per unit area • R = Rainfall-Runoff Erosivity • K = Soil Erodibility • LS = Slope Length/Steepness Factor • C = Land Cover Factor • P = Conservation Practice Factor

  6. Rainfall-Runoff Erosivity (R) • Reflects rainfall intensity and storm energy

  7. Soil Erodibility (K) • Represents susceptibility of soil to erosion

  8. Slope Length/Steepness (LS) LS = (a/22.13)0.4 (s/0.0896)1.3 DEM

  9. Land Cover Factor (C) • Ratio of soil loss based on vegetative cover

  10. Conservation Practice Factor (P) • Reflects impact of erosion-reduction practices

  11. Total Sediment Potential (A) Aave = 30.7 ton/acre/yr Aave = 1,295 ton/acre/yr

  12. Remaining Tasks • Adjustments to current pre-fire calculation • Check for unit consistency • Search for more representative R-Factor • Ensure that LS value is accurate • Modify factors to model post-fire conditions • Increase C-Factor

  13. Resources • DEM:http://seamless.usgs.gov/ • NHD:http://nhd.usgs.gov/data.html • USDA Soils: http://www.ncgc.nrcs.usda.gov/products/datasets/statsgo/ • Fire Info:http://map.sdsu.edu/fireweb/

  14. Questions?

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