Soil erosion can be estimated or measured directly in a number of ways. Direct
measurement, using erosion plots and natural rainfall, was chosen in preference to
formula-driven estimates based upon the Universal Soil Loss Equation or its derivatives
(e.g. RUSLE, see Renard, Laflen, Foster, & McCool, 1994). Using instruments
such as the soil erosion bridge (Shakesby, 1993) was not feasible, and the use of
rainfall simulation was considered not practicable. It was important to be able to
estimate water runoff and soil loss associated with individual storms at different
times during the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods. Thus, recognizing that ‘studies
that rely on natural rainfall are essential for obtaining data on long-term average soil
erosion or infiltration amounts, and on variability and extremes resulting from climatic
differences’ (Meyer, 1994: 84), erosion plots were used