Soil & Water Res., 2025, 20(4):253-264 | DOI: 10.17221/22/2025-SWR
Determination of soil loss on agricultural land based on field measurements in the Czech RepublicOriginal Paper
- 1 Department of Soil Conservation Service, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic
- 2 Department of Landscape Water Conservation, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic
The current erosion protection set up in the Czech Republic (CZ) is based on the long-term soil loss due to water erosion using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The range of recommended values of tolerable soil loss by water varies among different authors and approaches, depending on the specific area and its parameters. It is, therefore, important to ask the following questions. What is the real range of soil loss by water erosion in CZ. To determine the range of soil loss, a model extrapolation was carried out. The model extrapolation was based on the results from two main experimental measurements. Both from the evaluated volume soil loss of real erosion events and field experiments based on measurements of erosion induced by artificial rainfall. The results of modelled extrapolation of the range of long-term soil loss are in the range 6.9–13.8 t/ha per year.
Keywords: eroded volume; erosion events; soil loss tolerance; soil water erosion
Received: March 5, 2025; Revised: July 15, 2025; Accepted: September 4, 2025; Prepublished online: September 30, 2025; Published: October 14, 2025 Show citation
ACS | AIP | APA | ASA | Harvard | Chicago | Chicago Notes | IEEE | ISO690 | MLA | NLM | Turabian | Vancouver |
References
- Auzet A.V., Van Dijk P., Kirkby M.J. (2005): Surface characterisation for soil erosion forecasting. Catena, 62: 77-78.
Go to original source...
- Báčová M., Krása J., Devátý J., Kavka P. (2019): A GIS method for volumetric assessments of erosion rills from digital surface models. European Journal of Remote Sensing, 52: 96-107.
Go to original source...
- Bagarello V., Stefano C. Di, Ferro V., Pampalone V. (2015): Establishing a soil loss threshold for limiting rilling. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, 20: 1-5.
Go to original source...
- Bekin N., Prois Y., Laronne J.B., Egozi R. (2021): The fuzzy effect of soil conservation practices on runoff and sediment yield from agricultural lands at the catchment scale. Catena, 207: 105710.
Go to original source...
- Bližňák V., Zacharov P. (2023): Evaluation of precipitation totals simulated by the ALADIN/PERUN atmospheric reanalysis at high spatial resolution. In: Tolasz R., Polcarová E. (eds.): Proc. 1st Conf. of the PERUN Project (TA ČR, SS02030040). Prague, CHMI: 15-26. (in Czech)
Go to original source...
- Bližňák V., Pokorná L., Rulfová Z. (2022): Assessment of the capability of modern reanalyses to simulate precipitation in warm months using adjusted radar precipitation. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 42: 101121.
Go to original source...
- Boardman J., Evans R. (2020): The measurement, estimation and monitoring of soil erosion by runoff at the field scale: Challenges and possibilities with reference to Britain. Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment, 44: 31-49.
Go to original source...
- Bombino G., Denisi P., Gómez J.A., Zema D.A. (2021): Mulching as best management practice to reduce surface runoff and erosion in steep clayey olive groves. International Soil and Water Conservation Research, 9: 26-36.
Go to original source...
- Carollo F.G., Di Stefano C., Nicosia A., Palmeri V., Pampalone V., Ferro V. (2023): A new strategy to assure compliance with soil loss tolerance at a regional scale. Catena, 223: 106945.
Go to original source...
- Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (2024): Hydrological Yearbook of the Czech Republic 2023. Prague, CHMI. Available on https://opendata.chmi.cz/hydrology/product/data/hydrological_yearbook/hydroyearbook2023.pdf (accessed Feb 8, 2025).
- Di Stefano C., Ferro V. (2016): Establishing soil loss tolerance: An overview. Journal of Agricultural Engineering, 47: 127-133.
Go to original source...
- Di Stefano C., Nicosia A., Pampalone V., Ferro V. (2023): Soil loss tolerance in the context of the European Green Deal. Heliyon, 9: e12869.
Go to original source...
Go to PubMed...
- Evans R. (2013): Assessment and monitoring of accelerated water erosion of cultivated land - when will reality be acknowledged? Soil Use and Management, 29: 105-118.
Go to original source...
- Evans R., Boardman J. (2016): A reply to Panagos et al., 2016 (Environmental Science & Policy 59 (2016) 53-57). Environmental Science and Policy, 60: 63-68.
Go to original source...
- Fang H. (2021): Impacts of rainfall and soil conservation measures on soil, SOC, and TN losses on slopes in the black soil region, northeastern China. Ecological Indicators, 129: 108016.
Go to original source...
- Fiener P., Dostál T., Krása J., Schmaltz E., Strauss P., Wilken F. (2020): Operational USLE-based modelling of soil erosion in Czech Republic, Austria, and Bavaria - Differences in model adaptation, parametrization, and data availability. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 10: 3647.
Go to original source...
- García-Ruiz J.M., Beguería S., Nadal-Romero E., González-Hidalgo J.C., Lana-Renault N., Sanjuán Y. (2015): A meta-analysis of soil erosion rates across the world. Geomorphology, 239: 160-173.
Go to original source...
- González-Hidalgo J.C., Peña-Monné J.L., de Luis M. (2007): A review of daily soil erosion in Western Mediterranean areas. Catena, 71: 193-199.
Go to original source...
- Govers G., Poesen J. (1988): Assessment of the interrill and rill contributions to total soil loss from an upland field plot. Geomorphology, 1: 343-354,
Go to original source...
- Holý J. (1994): Erosion and the Environment. Prague, Publishing House of the Czech Technical University.
- Kapička J., Žížala D., Krása J., Munster P. (2019): Tools for Monitoring Agricultural Soil Erosion. Prague, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation. (in Czech)
- Kapička J., Žížala D., Vít V., Novotný I. (2023): Monitoring of Soil Erosion of Agricultural Land. Final Report. Availabe at https://me.vumop.cz/docs/ZZ_monitoring_2023.pdf (in Czech)
- Kavka P., Strouhal L., Jáchymová B., Krása J., Báčová M., Laburda T., Dostál T., Devátý J., Bauer M. (2018): Double size fulljet field rainfall simulation for complex interrill and rill erosion studies. Stavební Obzor - Civil Engineering Journal, 27.
Go to original source...
- Lal R. (2001): Soil degradation by erosion. Land Degradation and Development, 12: 519-539.
Go to original source...
- Larson W.E., Lindstrom M.J., Schumacher T.E. (1997): The role of severe storms in soil erosion: A problem needing consideration. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 52: 90-95.
Go to original source...
- Li L., Du S., Wu L., Liu G. (2009): An overview of soil loss tolerance. Catena, 78: 93-99.
Go to original source...
- Lobb D.A., Huffman E., Reicosky D.C. (2007): Importance of information on tillage practices in the modelling of environmental processes and in the use of environmental indicators. Journal of Environmental Management, 82: 377-387.
Go to original source...
Go to PubMed...
- Madarász B., Bádonyi K., Csepinszky B., Mika J., Kertész Á. (2011): Conservation tillage for rational water management and soil conservation Balázs. Hungarian Geographical Bulletin, 60: 117-134.
- Maetens W., Poesen J., Vanmaercke M. (2012): How effective are soil conservation techniques in reducing plot runoff and soil loss in Europe and the Mediterranean? Earth-Science Reviews, 115: 21-36.
Go to original source...
- Ministry of Agriculture (2024): Land Parcel Identification System [GIS Dataset]. Czech Republic. Available on https://eagri.cz/public/app/lpisext/lpis/verejny2/plpis (accessed December 15, 2024).
- Mistr M., Novotný I., Dostál T., Krása J., Zumr D. et al. (2016): Determining the Protective Effect of Agricultural Crops on the Soil Erosion Process Using a Field Rainfall Simulator: Certified Methodology. Prague, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation. (in Czech)
- Montgomery D.R. (2007): Soil erosion and agricultural sustainability. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104: 13268-13272.
Go to original source...
Go to PubMed...
- Morgan R.P.C. (2005): Soil Erosion and Conservation. Bedford, National Soil Resource Institute, Cranfield University.
- Nearing M.A., Norton L.D., Bulgakov D.A., Larionov G.A., West L.T., Dontsova K.M. (1997): Hydraulics and erosion in eroding rills. Water Resources Research, 33: 865-876.
Go to original source...
- Neumann M., Kavka P., Devátý J., Stašek J., Strouhal L., Tejkl A., Kubínová R., Rodrigo-Comino J. (2022): Effect of plot size and precipitation magnitudes on the activation of soil erosion processes using simulated rainfall experiments in vineyards. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10: 949774.
Go to original source...
- Panagos P., Borrelli P., Poesen J., Ballabio C., Lugato E., Meusburger K., Montanarella L., Alewell C. (2015): The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe. Environmental Science and Policy, 54: 438-447.
Go to original source...
- Podhrázská J., Bednář M., Dostál T., Dumbrovský M., Hanel M., Kapička J., Karásek P., Kavka P., Konečná J., Krása J., Kučera J., Mistr M., Netopil P., Novotný I., Pochop M., Podhrázská J., Sobotková V., Středová H., Středa T., Šarapatka B. (2024): Protection of Agricultural Land Against Erosion: Certified Methodology. Prague, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation (in Czech)
- Quinn P., Beven K., Chevallier P., Planchon O. (1991): The prediction of hillslope flow paths for distributed hydrological modelling using digital terrain models. Hydrological Processes, 5: 59-79.
Go to original source...
- Renard K., Foster G., Weesies G., McCool D., Yoder D. (1997): Predicting Soil Erosion by Water: A Guide to Conservation Planning with the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). Agricultural Handbook No. 703, USDA.
- Rodrigues G.C., Carvalho S., Paredes P., Silva F.G., Pereira L.S. (2010): Relating energy performance and water productivity of sprinkler irrigated maize, wheat and sunflower under limited water availability. Biosystems Engineering, 106: 195-204.
Go to original source...
- Sparovek G., Schnug E. (2001): Temporal erosion-induced soil degradation and yield loss. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 65: 1479-1486.
Go to original source...
- Středová H., Středa T., Rožnovský J., Chuchma F., Vopravil J. (2021): Methodology of climate regions defining within the Estimated pedological ecological unit system: Certified Methodology. Brno, Mendel University in Brno. (in Czech).
- Steinhoff-Knopp B., Burkhard B. (2018): Soil erosion by water in Northern Germany: Long-term monitoring results from Lower Saxony. Catena, 165: 299-309.
Go to original source...
- Trimble S.W., Crosson P. (2000): Land use: U.S. soil erosion rates. Myth and reality. Science, 289: 248-250.
Go to original source...
Go to PubMed...
- Upadhayay H.R., Zhang Y., Granger S.J., Micale M., Collins A.L. (2022): Prolonged heavy rainfall and land use drive catchment sediment source dynamics: Appraisal using multiple biotracers. Water Research, 216: 118348.
Go to original source...
Go to PubMed...
- USDA (2020): Summary Report: 2017. National Resources Inventory, Washington, USDA.
- USDA (2022): National Soil Survey Handbook, Title 430-VI, Washington, USDA.
- Van Dijk P.M., Kwaad F.J.P.M., Klapwijk M. (1996): Retention of water and sediment by grass strips. Hydrological Processes, 10: 1069-1074.
Go to original source...
- Verheijen F.G.A., Jones R.J.A., Rickson R.J., Smith C.J. (2009): Tolerable versus actual soil erosion rates in Europe. Earth-Science Reviews, 94: 23-38.
Go to original source...
- Wischmeier W., Smith D. (1978): Predicting Rainfall Erosion Losses: A Guide to Conservation Planning. Handbook No. 537, USDA.
- Zádorová T., Penížek V., Šefrna L., Drábek O., Mihaljevič M., Volf Š., Chuman T. (2013): Identification of neolithic to modern erosion-sedimentation phases using geochemical approach in a loess covered sub-catchment of South Moravia, Czech Republic. Geoderma, 195-196: 56-69.
Go to original source...
- Zhu T., Xu X. (2021): Soil and Water Loss and Its Control at the Different Spatial Scales. In: Zhu T., Xu X. (eds.): Watershed Erosion Processes. Geography of the Physical Environment. Cham, Springer: 123-145.
Go to original source...
- Žížala D., Kapička J., Novotný I. (2015): Monitoring soil erosion of agricultural land in Czech Republic and data assessment of erosion events from spatial database. In: Proc. Int. Conf. Soil - The Non-Renewable Environmental Resource. Brno, Mendel University: 354-370.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.