1.Faculty of Geographical Science,Beijing Normal University,Beijing 100875,China
2.State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Hazards Risk Governance,Faculty of Geographical Science,Beijing Normal University,Beijing 100875,China
Objective This study aims to establish a reliable road gully volume estimation model using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery to enable rapid and accurate monitoring and assessment of road gullies on the Loess Plateau. Methods Based on survey data of road gullies induced by extreme rainfall on August 8th, 2024, from two typical small watersheds in Danba Town, Zhidan County, Shaanxi Province, empirical models were developed to relate morphological parameters of different types of road gullies to their volumes. Based on these models, the road gully erosion characteristics of the rainstorm event were further estimated. Results 1) Significant power-function relationships were identified between gully volume and both gully length and surface area, with surface area providing more accurate volume estimates. Notably, the construction of separate empirical models for surface area and volume relationships across road types (earthen, gravel, and paved) significantly improved the accuracy of gully erosion estimation. 2) In the monitored watersheds, gravel roads accounted for the highest number of gullies (67%), with erosion volume (638.60 t) significantly exceeding that of earthen roads (492.59 t) and paved roads (51.42 t). However, earthen roads had the highest erosion modulus (29 326.75 t/km2), which was 1.7 times and 11.4 times that of gravel and paved roads, respectively. 3) Road gully erosion was influenced by multiple factors. Road surface hardening and gravel paving significantly reduced erosion intensity, while the effects of catchment area and slope on gully erosion varied by road type, with earthen road gullies showing the most significant response (p<0.001). Conclusion Unpaved roads exhibit the highest erosion intensity, classified as severe erosion, representing the primary focus for road gully erosion control in the loess hilly-gully region. Gravel coverage or road surface hardening can effectively reduce the development of road gullies. The findings provide a reference for road construction and water and soil conservation in the loess hilly-gully region.
YANGS Q, JINZ, HAOM K, et al. Landscape and soil erosion changes along different types of road over the past 30 years in the largest loess tableland of China[J].Land Degradation and Development,2024,35(18):5559-5569.
ZHANGX H, ZHAOW T, JIAOJ Y, et al. Spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of extreme precipitation events on the Loess Plateau from 1960 to 2023[J].Arid Land Geography,2025,48(7):1153-1166.
[4]
ZIEGLERA D, SUTHERLANDR A, GIAMBELLUCAT W. Runoff generation and sediment production on unpaved roads, footpaths and agricultural land surfaces in northern Thailand[J].Earth Surface Processes and Landforms,2000,25(5):519-534.
[5]
GUOW Z, BAIY, CUIZ Q, et al. The impact of concentrated flow and slope on unpaved loess-road erosion on the Chinese Loess Plateau[J].Land Degradation and Development,2021,32(2):914-925.
[6]
ZHAOY Y, ZHANGY, YUANM T, et al. Estimation of initiation thresholds and soil loss from gully erosion on unpaved roads on China's Loess Plateau[J].Earth Surface Processes and Landforms,2021,46(9):1713-1724.
[7]
LIAOR X, FUS H, WEIJ M, et al. Annual soil erosion characteristics of unpaved roads in the Loess Plateau hilly and gully region, China[J].Catena,2024,247:e108483.
GUOM M, LIUX, CHENZ X, et al. Morphological characteristics and volume estimation model of the permeant gully in the Hulunbuir grassland of China[J].Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering,2024,40(14):81-90.
LIZ, QIZ G, QINW, et al. Gully volume estimation model using high-resolution satellite imaging in mountainous and hilly regions with black soil of northeast China[J].Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering,2021,37(7):122-130.
WUK, LIZ, QIZ G, et al. Estimation model for gully volume in the basin of northwest Hebei mountains[J].Science of Soil and Water Conservation,2023,21(2):39-46.
[14]
FRANKLA, POESENJ, SCHOLIERSN, et al. Factors controlling the morphology and volume(V)-length(L) relations of permanent gullies in the northern Ethiopian Highlands[J].Earth Surface Processes and Landforms,2013,38(14):1672-1684.
[15]
BROSENSL, CAMPFORTSB, GOVERSG, et al. Comparative analysis of the Copernicus, TanDEM-X, and UAV-SfM digital elevation models to estimate lavaka(gully) volumes and mobilization rates in the Lake Alaotra region(Madagascar)[J].Earth Surface Dynamics,2022,10(2):209-227.
[16]
NACHTERGAELEJ, POESENJ, STEEGENA, et al. The value of a physically based model versus an empirical approach in the prediction of ephemeral gully erosion for loess-derived soils[J].Geomorphology,2001,40(3/4):237-252.
[17]
KOMPANI-ZAREM, SOUFIM, HAMZEHZARGHANIH, et al. The effect of some watershed, soil characteristics and morphometric factors on the relationship between the gully volume and length in Fars Province, Iran[J].Catena,2011,86(3):150-159.
[18]
YANGD, MUK, YANGH, et al. A study on prediction model of gully volume based on morphological features in the JINSHA dry-hot valley region of southwest China[J].ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information,2021,10(5):e300.
[19]
LIZ, ZHANGY, ZHUQ K, et al. A gully erosion assessment model for the Chinese Loess Plateau based on changes in gully length and area[J].Catena,2017,148:195-203.
[20]
LIUX, GUOM M, ZHANGX Y, et al. Morphological characteristics and volume estimation model of permanent gullies and topographic threshold of gullying in the rolling hilly mollisols region of northeast China[J].Catena,2023,231:e107323.
[21]
TANGX, MIAOC Y, XIY, et al. Analysis of precipitation characteristics on the Loess Plateau between 1965 and 2014, based on high-density gauge observations[J].Atmospheric Research,2018,213:264-274.
[22]
XUQ, LIM M, JIANGX H, et al. Response of rill erosion to rainfall types and maintenance on the Loess Plateau: Implications for road erosion control[J].Catena,2022,219:e106642.
CHENX A, CAIQ G, ZHANGL C, et al. Research on critical slope of soil erosion in a hilly loess region on the Loess Plateau[J].Mountain Research,2010,28(4):415-421.
LIZ, ZHANGY, SHANGG F, et al. Characterizing gully cross section and modelling gully volume in hilly loess region of western Shanxi Province[J].Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering,2018,34(6):152-159.
[27]
ZHANGS M, HANX, CRUSER M, et al. Morphological characteristics and influencing factors of permanent gully and its contribution to regional soil loss based on a field investigation of 393 km2 in mollisols region of northeast China[J].Catena,2022,217:e106467.
[28]
WANGS T, LUOP P, LIW C, et al. Runoff and sediment deposition characteristics of gravel-mulched land: An experimental study[J].Land,2024,13(4):e445.
[29]
LIY, AREK S, QINZ H, et al. Farmland size increase significantly accelerates road surface rill erosion and nutrient losses in southern subtropics of China[J].Soil and Tillage Research,2020,204:e104689.
[30]
ZHANGY, ZHAOY Y, LIUB Y, et al. Rill and gully erosion on unpaved roads under heavy rainfall in agricultural watersheds on China's Loess Plateau[J].Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment,2019,284:e106580.
[31]
MONTGOMERYD R. Road surface drainage, channel initiation, and slope instability[J].Water Resources Research,1994,30(6):1925-1932.
[32]
PATTONP C, SCHUMMS A. Gully erosion, northwestern Colorado: A threshold phenomenon[J].Geology,1975,3(2):e88-90.
[33]
JIAZ J, WENGB S, YAND H, et al. The effects of different factors on soil water infiltration properties in high mountain Asia: A meta-analysis[J].Catena,2024,234:e107583.
[34]
SEUTLOALIK E, BECKEDAHLH R. Understanding the factors influencing rill erosion on roadcuts in the south eastern region of South Africa[J].Solid Earth,2015,6(2):633-641.
[35]
WANGC M, LIUB Y, YANGQ K, et al. Unpaved road erosion after heavy storms in mountain areas of northern China[J].International Soil and Water Conservation Research,2022,10(1):29-37.
[36]
YANGB, WANGW L, GUOM M, et al. Soil erosion of unpaved loess roads subjected to an extreme rainstorm event: A case study of the Jiuyuangou watershed on the Loess Plateau, China[J].Journal of Mountain Science,2019,16(6):1396-1407.
[37]
LIY, TANGC, HUANGZ G, et al. Increase in farm size significantly accelerated stream channel erosion and associated nutrient losses from an intensive agricultural watershed[J].Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment,2020,295:e106900.