Rainfalls and storm erosivity

Abstract

Changes in the spatial and temporal features of rainfall patterns may have important effects on the magnitude and timing of erosive storms, which will in turn result in changes in landscape response. Mediterranean Europe regions are characterized by strong climatic variability, where dry periods are interrupted by pulsing rainstorms throughout the year. Examples of these types are illustrated in this chapter by heavy showers or thunderstorms commonly localised, causing surface erosion by overland flow in the form of rill and gully erosion with remarkable mass movements on the torrential landscape. However, erosive storms forcing is not only related to water erosion, but it is also involved in multiple damaging hydrological events, such as flash-flooding, mudflow and non-point-source pollution. These phenomena generally agree with the seasonality pattern as flash flood-generating rainfall over the various Mediterranean regions. The chapter also maintaining a focus on the analysis on as extreme events are linked to the storm erosivity.