This calculator determines erosion or detached sediment for a single storm. There are many factors which impact erosion. The first factor is the size or area of the site of interest. The second factor involves the idea of raindrop impact energy. When a raindrop falls from the sky and hits the ground, the surface soil adsorbs the energy.
Erosion occurs when the energy is powerful enough to detach soil.
The amount of energy the rainfall of a particular storm has depends in the frequency of the storm and the location. Certain areas of the country frequently have higher energy storms than other areas. A third factor is the soil texture. Just as soil texture influence water infiltration, it also impacts how easily soil can be detached. A fourth factor is the influence of the arrangement of the land surface or the topography of the site of interest.