Development for and of the Universal Soil Loss Equation

The pattern of concern or lack of concern, action or lack of action, on soil and water conservation problems has been repeated time and time again down through the ages and throughout the world. The dust bowl and the depression of the early 1930's helped to generate widespread public interest and focused attention on the need for more aggressive programs in soil erosion and water conservation. The data collected at these experiment stations along with information that was available from a network of state and federal research units throughout the country, made possible the development of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The USLE has been and continues to be one of the most useful guidelines available to conservationists in the appraisal and evaluation of the hazards of soil erosion and in the development of effective and efficient control measures.