Geospatially Predicting Ephemeral Gullies.

According to recent research, the effect of ephemeral gullies in a crop season is much greater when compared to gully, rill, and sheet erosion. Therefore, it is evident that the effect of ephemeral gullies can be the most costly form of erosion, making their presence important to locate and understand. Since ephemeral gullies are most likely present in row crop fields, many agricultural producers question how this soil loss is affecting their field productivity. Geospatial technologies (GPS, Global Positioning System and GIS, Geographic Information System) are currently being used to manage grower operations to enhance field productivity. Our goal was to investigate using geospatial technologies to predict and geo-reference ephemeral gully formation. Methodology included using geostatistical models such as a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN), and a slope analysis model. Also, a DEM was placed over a topographical map to clearly visualize the abrupt slope changes on top of an actual image of the research field. Three study areas were chosen within the field, and circles were drawn around those areas using Arc Tools within ArcGIS. Geographic coordinates were taken from within those circles, and put into a GPS unit. The GPS was used to ground truth the exact locations chosen on Arc Map. Our results confirmed that a DEM showing abrupt changes in slope indicates ephemeral gullies are most likely present within that area, and can be predicted geospatially. By locating ephemeral gullies within a field growers can then manage for them by creating buffers, installing drainage, or reducing inputs in those areas in return increasing economic productivity of the field.