GIS-based simulation of erosion and deposition patterns in an agricultural landscape: a comparison of model results with soil map information

This paper presents a relatively simple, two-dimensional hillslope erosion-deposition model: the model differs from most geomorphological models in that it does not assume that erosion by surface wash is always transport-limited. As a first test, the model is applied to an agricultural catchment in Central Belgium. Here, patterns of past erosion and deposition can be deduced from information contained in the Belgian Soil Map so that a qualitative validation of the model results is possible. The results indicate that a simple model formulation allows to reproduce the basic pattern of erosion and deposition as it is observed in the landscape. This confirms the major influence of topography on erosion and deposition patterns in such landscapes and indicates that in some cases a simple model formulation may well be sufficient to allow adequate modelling of landscape evolution.