Environmental Erosion Research Journal

Splash erosion is recognized as the first stage in the process of erosion that results in bombardment of the soil's surface with rain drops. Two basic processes in soil erosion are the dispersement of soil particles by rain drops and the changes caused to the soil's structure, which are then moved by runoff. In this research,the effect of various polyacrylamide (PAM)values (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 g/m2) on the amount of splash erosion at two rain intensities (95 and 120 mm/h)by the use of laboratory generated rain (FEL3)were analyzed. Experiments were undertaken with marl soil. After calibrating the rainfall simulator, soil samples were weighed and treated with PAM. Next the effects of rainfall intensities at95 and 120 mm/h for 10 minutes were studied. Initially samples were oven-dried for 24 hours, at 105ºC. Next, samples were reweighed to determine the amount of soil lost. According to the results, there was no statistical correlation between rain intensity at 95 and 120 mm/h and decreased soil erosion.Howeverthere was a relationship between the different amounts of PAM (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 g/m2 ) and splash erosion control.  The most effect on controlling splash soil erosion was seen with PAM at 6 kilograms/hectare when compared with 2 and 4 kilograms/hectare, which is 28.93% effective in decreasing erosion.  The main two factors, intensity and treatment,were not statistically significant. There was no statistical significance noted at a rain intensity of 95 mm/h. Howeverat a rain intensity 120 mm/h, with different amounts of  PAM, there was a significant difference in splash erosion control at 4 kilogram/hectare which had a maximum effect of 40% in controlling soil erosion.