Estimation of soil erosion rates in a subtropical mountain watershed using 137 Cs radionuclide

The formulation of watershed management strategies to protect water resources threatened by soil erosion and sedimentation requires a thorough understanding of sediment sources and factors that drive soil movement in the watershed. This paper describes a study of medium-term water-driven soil erosion rates in a mountainous watershed of the Shihmen Reservoir in Taiwan. A total of 60 sampling sites were selected along a hillslope. At each sampling site, the inventory 137Cs activity was determined and then calculated with the diffusion and migration model to derive soil erosion rates. The rates are one to two orders of magnitude lower than estimates using the Universal Soil Loss Equation, a soil erosion model often used in Taiwan. Results of multiple regression analysis indicate that the spatial variability of soil erosion rates is associated with the relative position of a sampling site to the nearest ridge and soil bulk densities (r2 = 0.33, p < 0.01). Finally, the patterns of soil redistribution rates on the hillslope follow the 137Cs hillslope model as soil erosion increases in the downslope direction. No deposition site is found at footslope because soil deposition is swept away by regular flooding along the stream channel. This study is an important first step in using 137Cs as a tracer of soil redistribution in mountainous watersheds of Taiwan. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.