Publication details
Integrating sediment connectivity analysis and soil erosion modeling in flash-flood–prone catchments
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02723646.2026.2682822 |
| Doi | https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.2026.2682822 |
| Keywords | soil erosion; sediment connectivity; UAV; flash-flood; physically based modeling |
| Description | This study applies the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model and its spatial interface, GeoWEPP, to investigate soil erosion and sediment connectivity in small agricultural catchments in Central Europe. Model outputs based on freely available datasets were validated using high-resolution UAV surveys conducted immediately after storm events. Sediment connectivity and critical source areas linked to main drainage lines were identified by integrating GeoWEPP-derived soil loss data, Effective Catchment Areas, and field observations. Hotspots were refined by excluding transport barriers and incorporating confirmed sediment links, expressed as hotspot density along drainage segments. The WEPP model showed high predictive accuracy (Nash – Sutcliffe efficiency = 0.918). Crop simulation scenarios revealed strong effects of vegetation cover on sediment pathways: Corn and rapeseed increased soil erosion and connectivity, while peas, grasslands, and forest cover reduced sediment mobilization. We propose an integrated framework combining event-scale physically based modeling, UAV-based validation, and sediment connectivity analysis. This approach explicitly links model outputs with structural and functional connectivity indicators, improving the understanding of sediment dynamics under extreme rainfall and supporting spatially targeted, nature-based erosion mitigation in agricultural landscapes. |
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