The use of archived precipitation data in the assessment of soil erosion risk in the Świętokrzyskie Province of central-southern Poland

The usefulness of archived IMGW–PIB published reports was discussed as a source of information on high total and intensity precipitation that generates the risk of soil erosion. The study area consist of the Świętokrzyskie Province of central-southern Poland. The data were obtained mainly from yearbooks: The Atmospheric Precipitation Yearbooks and Results of pluviographic studies and precipitation of high intensity for the period 1959–1981. The analysis is limited to the occurrence of rainfall events that produced at least 30 mm of rainwater and were classified as A 3 or higher on the Chomicz scale of rainstorms and downpours. A total of 247 rainstorms and downpours were recorded at 74 weather stations in the Świętokrzyskie Province. The utilized data sets allowed he estimation of erosivity index values using a simplified Wischmeier and Smith equation. Their erosivity index reached up to 6,387.8 MJ∙mm∙ha −1 ∙h −1 with a median value of 455.8 MJ∙mm∙ha −1 ∙h −1. This maximum value of EI was recorded at the Słupia weather station in the southwestern part of the study area. However, high erosivity rainfalls most often occurred in the lower section of the Nida Valley (in the Wiślica weather station). Precipitation characterized by the greatest erosivity occurred in June and July.