RUSLE 2 computer modeling to demonstrate final stabilization will provide an estimate of soil loss in what units?

RUSLE 2 computer modeling to demonstrate final stabilization will provide an estimate of soil loss in what units?

• A. Kilograms per square meter
• B. Cubic meters per year
• C. Tons per acre per year
• D. Pounds per square foot

Answer: (C)

RUSLE 2 outputs a mass loss rate—soil mass lost per unit area per year. In practice, when using U.S. customary units, this is expressed as tons per acre per year, which directly shows how much soil is expected to erode from each acre over a year. This unit is convenient for comparing predicted erosion with stabilization targets and regulatory benchmarks that are also given per area per year. Other options would either be volume (cubic meters per year), or mass per area in non-standard or less common units (pounds per square foot per year), or would require converting to mass per area per year from a mass-per-area-per-year basis. The standard output aligned with most practice and reporting is tons per acre per year.

RUSLE 2 outputs a mass loss rate—soil mass lost per unit area per year. In practice, when using U.S. customary units, this is expressed as tons per acre per year, which directly shows how much soil is expected to erode from each acre over a year. This unit is convenient for comparing predicted erosion with stabilization targets and regulatory benchmarks that are also given per area per year.

Other options would either be volume (cubic meters per year), or mass per area in non-standard or less common units (pounds per square foot per year), or would require converting to mass per area per year from a mass-per-area-per-year basis. The standard output aligned with most practice and reporting is tons per acre per year.