Equipment

A Norton rainfall simulator, like those used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct soil erosion research, was used to apply timely and consistent rainfall to all test plots. 

The simulator, which produces droplets with sizes and velocities similar to natural rainfall, was developed at the USDA Soil Erosion Research Laboratory on the campus of Purdue University.

Rain gages, like the one shown here, were placed beneath the rainfall simulator to verify rainfall amounts and uniformity.