A review of hillslope and watershed scale erosion and sediment transport models

This study reviews the existing erosion and sediment transport models developed at hillslope and watershed scales. The method followed in this review is to summarize the models with a focus on the physically based modeling technique as well as with a brief discussion about empirical and conceptual models. Approaches for determining the sediment transport capacity of flow are explained. The extension of a sediment transport model to a nutrient transport model is then discussed. Finally, the future of erosion and sediment transport models are projected to include the probabilistic description of hydrology, the physical characteristics of the watershed, and the stochastic structure of soil properties. The review is expected to be of interest to researchers, watershed managers and decision-makers while searching for models to study erosion and sediment transport phenomena and related processes such as pollutant and nutrient transport, (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.