Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-268
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2024-268
04 Sep 2024
 | 04 Sep 2024
Status: a revised version of this preprint is currently under review for the journal HESS.

Understanding soil loss in two permanent gully head cuts in the mollisol region of Northeast China

Chao Ma, Shoupeng Wang, Dongshuo Zheng, Yan Zhang, Jie Tang, Yanru Wen, and Jie Dong

Abstract. Gravitational mass wasting on steep slopes plays an important role in permanent gully development. This is typically driven by hydrological processes in the head cut and the hydromechanical response within the soil mass. In this study, erosion intensities were observed in the head cuts of two permanent gullies in the mollisol region of Northeast China during the rainy and snow melting seasons. To understand the physical process, soil water storage and drainage capacity, and suction stress during the 111 d of the rainy season and 97 d of the snow melting season, critical parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, and precipitation were investigated. This analysis also examined the increase in pore water pressure, dissipation properties, and hydromechanical properties of the mollisols. Under the same confining stress, the mollisols in the interrupted head cut of Gully No. II increased more rapidly and dissipated pore water pressure more than at the uninterrupted head cut of Gully No I. The combination of the soil water characteristic curve and the hydraulic conductivity function indicates that the mollisols of Gully No. II had a higher air entry pressure and saturated hydraulic conductivity during the wetting and drying cycles than Gully No. I. The head cut area of Gully No. II exhibited rapid water infiltration and drainage responses during rain events, with a high soil water storage capacity during torrential rain, rainstorms, and snow melting seasons. The absolute suction stresses within the mollisols of Gully No. II was lower than that in Gully No. I, which could lead to high erosion per unit of steep slope area. Soil loss from gravitational mass wasting on steep slopes is closely related to soil suction stress and we observed a correlation between erosion per unit gully bed area and the soil water storage. These findings have deepened our understanding of the physical process of permanent gully development from the perspective of the hydrological and hydromechanical behavior of gully head cuts.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Chao Ma, Shoupeng Wang, Dongshuo Zheng, Yan Zhang, Jie Tang, Yanru Wen, and Jie Dong

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on hess-2024-268', Anonymous Referee #1, 10 Oct 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Ma Chao, 22 Oct 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on hess-2024-268', Anonymous Referee #2, 11 Nov 2024
  • RC3: 'Comment on hess-2024-268', Anonymous Referee #2, 11 Nov 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC3', Ma Chao, 14 Nov 2024
      • RC5: 'Reply on AC2', Anonymous Referee #2, 19 Nov 2024
        • AC4: 'Reply on RC5', Ma Chao, 28 Nov 2024
  • RC4: 'Comment on hess-2024-268', Anonymous Referee #2, 19 Nov 2024
    • AC5: 'Reply on RC4', Ma Chao, 28 Nov 2024
Chao Ma, Shoupeng Wang, Dongshuo Zheng, Yan Zhang, Jie Tang, Yanru Wen, and Jie Dong
Chao Ma, Shoupeng Wang, Dongshuo Zheng, Yan Zhang, Jie Tang, Yanru Wen, and Jie Dong

Viewed

Total article views: 275 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
187 57 31 275 3 2
  • HTML: 187
  • PDF: 57
  • XML: 31
  • Total: 275
  • BibTeX: 3
  • EndNote: 2
Views and downloads (calculated since 04 Sep 2024)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 04 Sep 2024)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 270 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 270 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 
Latest update: 06 Dec 2024
Download
Short summary
In the study domain of soil and water conservation, the prediction of gravitational mass-wasting is often not satisfied. In fact, they occur by the mechanics of soil strength decrease due to water infiltration. Alternatively, this work adopts some basic concepts of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics, together with the field observations of soil moisture, rainfall records and temperature, to examine the potential relationship between erosion intensity and hydrological and hydro-mechanical response.