There are a lot of rainfall simulators on the net; however, this one is one of the best. It's a clear demonstration of differences with five types of management, and well narrated. The comparisons are, --conventional tillage, no-tillage, mixed species cover crop, compacted overgrazed rangeland, and well managed rangeland. Watch for the water splash on the conventional tilled ground.
This video was taken in the North Central part of South Dakota about 10 miles east of the Missouri River in a 16" rainfall zone, in a slightly rolling landscape.
Rainfall simulator in SD (17:46min)
All the simulators I have observed applies rain in a short amount of time on terrain that is relatively level. Simulators have application rates of 1.5"-2" of rainfall in 10-20 minutes. Many areas in the world would find these rates as moderate, but for our hills it would be devastating. Fields with surfaces disturbed would be washed away. When I started this quest to improve our resource conservation ethic in the early/mid 1970's that's what I envisioned. At the time, we were receiving a lot of snow on frozen ground and received downpours from summer thunder storms fairly regular. Severe erosion annually was the rule, not the exception, and no-till was a new term to be learned. Fortunately for our fields, by the mid 80's we were designated as in a drought condition, and erosion rates have fallen dramatically to this day. Now, severe erosion is more the exception than the rule, even on cultivated ground. However, this fall, our area has received two events that have left some fields in an eroded state. The pattern is set for serious erosion on unprotected land in 2018, as it was in 2017. Is this going to be a new trend, ?????, time will tell. The fields that we steward are prepared, --bring it on!
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