Soil Erosion in Steep Road Cut Slopes in Palencia (Spain)

Construction associated to land development, such as roads and railroads, promote severe land degradation. Cutslope sediment yield is one of the major pollutants on waters close to the road and railroad network. To estimate road impact, soil erosion (E), sediment yield (SY) and morphological evolution of a railroad cut in Palencia (Spain), were studied using erosion nails, during the periods 1998-1999, 1999-2000 and 2000-2010. Data from two sample plots were analyzed by an ANOVA for repeated measures. Slope morphological evolution was estimated using a cubic polynomial regression, while E and SY were calculated by integration. The top and the toe of the slope eroded and accumulated 05m respectively, evolving into a concave/convex slope profile. The mean measured E was 220Mgha(-1)y(-1). SY was 31Mgha(-1) y(-1), ranging from 109Mgha(-1) y(-1) to 24Mgha(-1) y(-1). Sediment yield was 45 times higher during the first year, than in all subsequent years. Results showed a decreasing trend and a stabilization in E and SY rates. However, both rates remain high and critical over the analyzed time, with regards to soil formation, water protection, land degradation and infrastructure maintenance. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.