Rainfall is the most common form of precipitation. It is predominantly useful for land ecosystems but sometimes becomes harmful, particularly its splash action is greater on bare land surface. Scientific answer of the question that what is splash action, what it causes and which factors determine its intensity is required.
Splash action is the force exerted by the raindrops on the bare soil. I dont have a scientific report to cite, but the USLE used rainfall intensity up to 3 inches per hour to help calculate the R (rainfall/runoff) factor. The paper that mentioned the 3 inches per hour, suggested that added intensities did not add, and perhaps in my estimate or reasoning, this might be to water puddling on the surface, resulting in breaking the force of droplets. Drop size would be a factor, as would velocity of raindrops, affected also by wind speed, downdrafts, etc. With the USLE, the K erodibility factor may give an estimate of how individual soil type particles would react to this force. In some of our gully papers, I cited a study that discussed an old study by Hoover (I think) on the loss of permeability in piedmont agricultural soils due to the dislodgment and filling of fine particles into the macropores. In SC, we have some severe rainfall intensities from thunderstorms and tropical depressions, and many areas with eroded and erodible soils. To a variable extent, splash action can be reduced, disrupted or negated by soil cover or organic layer, vegetation or tree canopy. Perhaps some of the early USLE and RUSLE papers by Wischmeyer, Foster and others may help address development of the R factor.
Article Hydrologic Characteristics of South Carolina Piedmont Forest Soils
By Marvin Hoover
Thanks William F. Hansen for referring very useful article for understanding the issue.
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