Research Article

WIND EROSION AND PM10 EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURAL FIELDS ON THE COLUMBIA PLATEAU

  1. LARRY D. STETLER1,*,
  2. KEITH E. SAXTON2

Article first published online: 4 DEC 1998

DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199607)21:7<673::AID-ESP664>3.0.CO;2-V

Issue

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms

Volume 21, Issue 7, pages 673–685, July 1996

Additional Information

How to Cite

STETLER, L. D. and SAXTON, K. E. (1996), WIND EROSION AND PM10 EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURAL FIELDS ON THE COLUMBIA PLATEAU. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 21: 673–685. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9837(199607)21:7<673::AID-ESP664>3.0.CO;2-V

Author Information

  1. 1

    Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, U.S.A.

  2. 2

    U.S. Dept of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, U.S.A.

*Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, U.S.A.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 4 DEC 1998
  2. Article first published online: 4 DEC 1998
  3. Manuscript Revised: 4 APR 1995
  4. Manuscript Received: 28 MAR 1994

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Keywords:

  • soil erosion;
  • PM10 emissions;
  • dry land farming;
  • Columbia Plateau

Abstract

Research to investigate relations between simultaneous processes of soil erosion by wind and PM10 emissions from dry land fields on the Columbia Plateau, Washington, has been initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Washington State University. Dry land agriculture is the primary cropping system world-wide but is constantly threatened by erosive winds which reduce the soil resource and/or remove fines which are the most active soil portion for plant production. Soils on the Columbia Plateau are very fine-grained containing more than 4 per cent of freely occurring aggregates or particles less than 10 μm aerodynamic diameter. Analysis from eight wind events show that significant relations exist between total mass of soil in both horizontal (saltation) and vertical (suspension) transport. The data suggest that by limiting horizontal soil erosion, emitted dust can be simultaneously reduced. Aggressive conservation tillage can be an effective weapon in reducing soil erosion by maintaining surface residue and roughness.

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