EFFECT OF SAWDUST ON SPLASH EROSION IN LABORATORY CONDITION

Splash erosion is caused by the impact of raindrops on the soil surface and leads to the detachment of the soil particles. The most effective measures for reducing soil splash are the use of conditioners to improve soil aggregates stability and/or to deploy physical barriers to minimize raindrop impacts. The present study has been conducted to examine the efficiency of sawdust to reduce splash erosion rate in an 15% gradient slope with sandy-clay-loam soil in the laboratory condition, To achieve the study purposes, the soil were covered by sawdust with the surfaces percentages of 30, 50, 70 and 90% in splash cups were placed on the soil in three replicates for each control and treated conditions. A portable rainfall simulator was used to simulate rainfall with the intensity and duration of 40 mm h^-1 and 15 min, respectively. The results of splash showed that the sawdust reduced both total and net splash.