Potential sheet erosion losses from 13 agricultural watersheds were investigated to assess the effects of agricultural land use on soil erosion levels. The agricultural watersheds, ranging in size from 19 to 54 km2, were representative of the predominant livestock and cropping management systems in the major physiographic and climatic regions of Southern Ontario. Average annual sheet erosion losses were estimated on a field basis using the universal soil loss equation. Rainfall intensity and soil and topographic variability were considered in deriving mean annual soil losses for a range of field crops. Crops yielding the highest annual sheet erosion loss estimates were row crops, such as horticultural cash crops (9.1 ton/ha/yr), beans (7.6 ton/ha/yr), and continuous corn (6.7 ton/ha/yr). Erosion losses from crops in rotations with grasses or legumes (corn, small grains, meadow) and from tobacco were determined to be approximately one half of values obtained for continuous row cropping systems. Lowest sheet erosion losses occurred on permanent pasture and woodlands (<0.5 ton/ha/yr). Results of this study suggest that on a regional basis, the intensively farmed cash crop areas have higher erosion potentials than areas with rotational cropping systems. Watersheds with a low potential for sheet erosion often are dominated by livestock operations, where a large percentage of the area is represented by grasses or legumes and permanent pasture.