The Variations of Runoff, Soil loss and Sediment Concentration Variables using Different Biochar levels in Laboratory Conditions

The control of runoff and soil erosion is one of main issues around the world. Therefore, the application of soil amendments is essential in protect water and soil. On the other hand, increasing the sludge production from factories is one of environmental problems that there are methods for beneficial from sludge production including convert them to Biochar. Therefore, the present study was conducted with aim of investigating the effect of produced biochar from sludge of incubation factory with values of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 t ha-1 on the variables of time to runoff, runoff volume, runoff coefficient, soil loss and sediment concentration. The stages of this research were conducted at laboratory conditions for rainfall intensity of 50 mm h-1 and the slope of 20 percent with three replications in plot scale. The results showed that after application of biochar with rates of 0.4, 0.8 and 1.6 t ha-1, time to runoff toward control treatment increased with rates of 71.19, 91.58 and 150.54 percent, respectively, runoff volume toward control treatment decreased with rates of 21.00, 31.40 and 36.47 percent, respectively and also runoff coefficient toward control treatment decreased with rates of 67.57, 56.94 and 46.35 percent. Biochar caused the reduction of soil loss with rates of 71.04, 77.65 and 85.63 percent, respectively, and the sediment concentration with rates of 63.16, 67.21 and 76.17 percent respectively. The results of the statistical test showed that the effect of different values of biochar on the components of time to runoff, runoff volume, runoff coefficient, soil loss and sediment concentration were significant at the confidence level of 99%.