RUSLE Factors

This landing page is the collection of data packages that are derived as input to the Hillslope Erosion equation.

The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and its main derivate, the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), are widely used in estimating hillslope erosion

Soil Erodibility (K-factor)

Soil erodibility represents the soil's response to rainfall and run-off erosivity and is related to soil properties such as organic matter content, texture, structure, permeability and aggregate stability.

Slope and Steepness (LS-factor)

The effects of topography on hillslope erosion are estimated through the product of slope length (L) and slope steepness (S) subfactors, or LS factor, which often contains the highest detail and plays the most influential role in RUSLE.

Rainfall Erosivity (R-factor)

Rainfall is a main driver of soil erosion by water. The relation between rainfall and sediment yield is given by the rainfall erosivity. The R-factor is the sum of all erosive events during a 1-year period.

Cover and Management (C-factor)

One of the important and dynamic elements in the RUSLE model is the cover and management factor (C-factor), which represents effects of vegetation canopy and ground cover in reducing soil loss.

Data and Resources

Additional Information

Field Value
Published (Metadata Record) 03/03/2026
Last updated 04/03/2026
Organisation Australian Federal Government
License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Update Frequency Unknown