It is a measure of the erosive potential of the wind speed and surface moisture at a given location compared with the same factors at Garden City, Kansas. The annual climatic factor at Garden City is arbitrarily set at 100. All climatic factor values are expressed as a percentage of that at Garden City. It is the unsheltered distance across an erodible field, measured along the prevailing wind erosion direction. This distance is measured beginning at a stable border on the upwind side and continuing downward to the nonerodible or stable area, or to the downwind edge of the area being evaluated.
V is the vegetative cover factor.
It accounts for the kind, amount, and orientation of growing plants or plant residue on the soil surface. The soil loss tolerance value is used as one of the criteria for planning soil conservation systems. These values are available in the FOTG in the local field office of the Natural Resources Conservation Service. May 30, 1996. Paul W. Johnson, Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.