Digital elevation models (DEMs) vary in resolution and accuracy by the production method. DEMs with different resolutions and accuracies can generate varied topographic and hydrological features, which can in turn affect predictions by soil erosion models, such as the WEPP (Water Erosion Prediction Project) model. This study investigates the effects of DEMs on deriving topographic and hydrologi...

Two different methods utilizing geographical information systems (GIS) and digital elevation models (DEMs) are described and evaluated for applying the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model to assess water erosion and runoff in small watersheds. The first approach, called the Hillslope method, presents an automated method for the application of WEPP through the extraction of hillslopes ...

Computer simulation models are essential tools for evaluating soil erosion potential over large areas of cropland. Small-plot and field-scale evaluations are commonly conducted for federal farm program compliance, but producers are now faced with off-farm water quality concerns. Predicting the potential contribution of upland sediment is of interest to producers and state and federal agencies. ...

The water erosion prediction project (WEPP) model is a physically-based hydrology and erosion model. In recent years, the hydrology prediction within the model has been improved for forest watershed modeling by incorporating shallow lateral flow into watershed runoff prediction. This has greatly improved WEPP’s hydrologic performance on small watersheds with seasonal flows, but the current vers...

Performing a comprehensive sensitivity/uncertainty analysis is a valuable step in understanding and using a predictive hydrologic/water quality (H/WQ) model. This article applies one-factor-at-a-time (OAT) sensitivity analysis (SA) and first-order error analysis (FOEA)/Monte Carlo simulation with Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) uncertainty analysis techniques for evaluation of a complex, process...

[1] Soil erosion models are usually limited in their application to the field scale; however, the management of land resources requires information at the regional scale. Large‐scale physically based land surface schemes (LSS) provide estimates of regional scale hydrologic processes that contribute to erosion. If scaling issues are adequately addressed, coupling an LSS to a physically based ero...

Erosion processes and their impact are driven by a multitude of biophysical factors that are poorly understood in the Andean highlands. The first attempt to assess soil erosion rates in Peru was made by Felipe-Morales et al. (1977) using runoff plots. Since then, very few erosion investigations have followed and reference to Andean soil erosion is often criticized because of the lack of quantit...

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model is a physically-based soil erosion tool developed to predict runoff and erosion. Databases for forest soil, vegetation, and climate conditions have been developed. Background sediment may be generated annually from undisturbed forests, and occasionally following wildfire. In some cases, it may be appropriate to include sediment from essential fo...