The intensity of a storm can have a significant impact on soils, causing sediment laden runoff. The greater the intensity, the more sediment that is displaced and carried away in runoff in a shorter amount of time. A longer rain event with the same amount of water will not cause the same displacement as the shorter storm. This is due to several factors. Two of these factors are raindrop to soil impact and inability to infiltrate causing more runoff. With a more intense storm the raindrops are normally larger and hit the ground with greater force. This impact will cause more soil grains to become dislodged and ready to be carried off. The runoff is usually moving fast across surfaces which will then pick up larger amounts of sediment.
A less intense storm, even one that may last all day, will have more time for the rainwater to infiltrate and cause less runoff. The less intense a storm the less sediment laden runoff that will occur. This causes the rainwater to begin carrying away the loosened sediment. The runoff is usually moving faster across the ground surface as well and picks up larger amounts of sediment. A less intense storm, even one that may last all day, has more time for the rainwater to infiltrate and not cause as much runoff. The less intense a storm the less sediment laden runoff that will occur.