Estimation of the volume of gully erosion using morphometric and soil characteristics in the gullies of Golestan province

Gully erosion is more important than both rain splash and sheet erosions due to both higher sediment productions. Estimation of the volume of gully erosion requires some indices that could be measured easily in the field. This research aims to present simple models to estimate the volume of gully erosion with minimum cost. After determining influenced regions, using anecdotal, historical and field surveying, two regions in each modified Dumartin climate zone and region, three representative gullies were selected. Then, morphometric and edaphic characteristics such as length, depth, top and bottom width, clay, silt, sand, Ca, Na and Mg percentages of the gullies were measured both in their heads and cross sections in 25, 50 and 75% of their length from the headcut. The volume of gully erosion was calculated by the sum of partial volumes in each gully. The results revealed that gullies were initiated and developed in two arid and semi-arid climates on the loess sediment with little cohesion. Gully widening is higher than deepening and silt has an important role in it. Statistical analysis indicated that linear relationship with R2 of 0.86 is more suitable than power relationship with R2 of 0.54 for estimation of the volume of gully erosion. Results indicated that the volume of the gullies had a significant linear relationship with gully length, depth and top width in 0.01 level. Results also, revealed that gully length with 86% interpretation of changes in gullies volume and 0.871 had the most impact among the variables. These results prove that suggested comments in literature using gully length to sediment yield estimation in EGEM is applicable in the northeast of Iran.