ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts presents in the subsequent chapters. This part describes soil erosion on western grazing lands and shows how drought, fires, mining, and overgrazing affected the lands by producing flood damages, silting of reservoirs, and reduced productivity of range lands. It discusses both natural and man-made erosion and shows how they have influenced groundwater levels, changes in stream regimen creating higher flood peaks, and gullying and stripping of hillslopes. The book provides suggestions for remedial action and for controlling erosion. The usual analytical method for differentiating natural from man-induced erosion involves the following: significant change in quality, quantity, and texture of alluvial deposits; change in plant cover, both in kind and amount; and development of steeper side slopes along stream channels. It also include: stream channel or gully incisement into soils with undisturbed profiles; and changes and upsets in drainage patterns and channel networks.
