Universal Soil Loss

Universal soil loss, abbreviated as USLE, predicts the potential long-term average annual soil loss per unit area.

 

Universal Soil Loss Formula
\(\large{ A  =  R \; K \; LS \; C \; P   }\)
Symbol	English	Metric
\(\large{ A }\) = estimated annual soil loss	\(\large{tons-acre-yr}\)	\(\large{tonnes-hectare-yr}\)
\(\large{ C }\) = crop/vegitation and management factor	\(\large{dimensionless}\)
\(\large{ R }\) = R factor - rainfall and runoff by geographic location (the summed erosive potential of all rainfall events in a year)	\(\large{dimensionless}\)
\(\large{ LS }\) = slope length-gradient factor	\(\large{dimensionless}\)
\(\large{ P }\) = support practice factor (reflects the effects of particles that will reduce the amount and rate of the water runoff and thus reduce the amount of erosion)	\(\large{dimensionless}\)
\(\large{ K }\) = soil erodibility factor (units of soil loss per unit of soil erosivity)	\(\large{dimensionless}\)