Soil Erosion Analysis of Watersheds in Series

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between soil erosion and sedimentation within Wills Creek, Senecaville Lake, and Salt Fork watersheds of Ohio. Both Senecaville Lake and Salt Fork Lake watersheds are entirely located within the watershed of Wills Creek Lake. Experimental results using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation and a sediment delivery equation in conjunction with Geographic Information Systems are compared to sedimentation reports prepared by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Results of this comparison show that the type of land cover has the highest impact on the amount of soil erosion, specifically the lands associated with cultivated crops. Furthermore, the sediment yield of a watershed is not accurately calculated based on average annual sedimentation and present RUSLE erosion potential.