Wind Erosion Monitoring and Modeling Techniques in Australia

John Leys, Centre for Natural Resources, Department of Land and Water Conservation, PO Box 462, Gunnedah, NSW, 2380 Australia; Grant McTainsh, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Australia; Yaping Shao, School of Mathematics, University of New South Wales, Kensington 2052, Australia. *Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT Wind erosion is a part of the natural environment in Australia; however, since European settlement the extent and magnitude of wind erosion has increased. A mixture of monitoring and modeling is seen as the only way of undertaking environmental auditing as required by national and international conventions and treaties. Methods of measuring and monitoring wind erosion from plot to continental scale are discussed. Two modeling systems that are currently used in Australia for environmental audits are presented. One uses an empirical climate model and dust storm index to report the location of areas that are eroding at higher than climatic conditions would suggest. The other is an integrated climate, wind erosion, and geographical information system that uses process-based models to predict the location and intensity of wind erosion. The limitations and advantages of each model are presented.