Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Prevent garden erosion
• Method 2 of 2: Prevent erosion of agricultural land
• Tips

Exposed topsoil washes away as wind and water carry it away, removing nutrients and clogging water systems. It can take many years to replace a thin layer of lost soil, so prevention is necessary.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Prevent garden erosion

1. Plant grass and shrubs. Plant roots hold the soil together, while the leaves limit damage caused by rain. Peat, ornamental grass, and low-growing shrubs work best because they don't leave any areas of bare soil.
   • These have a good ability to control erosion themselves, as long as the ground slope is less than 3: 1 (three units of measure horizontal for each unit of measure up). For steeper slopes you will find additional instructions below.
2. Apply mulch or rocks. Use this to cover any remaining bare soil areas. Mulch from plant material such as grass clippings or bark chips are particularly effective. These will also protect grass seed and young plants from wildlife and water leaching, giving them time to grow.
   • Mulch degenerates over time, but by then the soil should no longer need protection. You can reapply mulch if your plant species and climate require it.
3. Use mulch mats to hold on to vegetation on slopes. Fiber mulch mats or erosion control mats are a layer of mulch that is held together in a net of fibers. This construction holds it together where normal mulch would wash or blow away. After you have planted vegetation, place it on sloping ground with a gradient between 3: 1 and 2: 1.
   • In areas with heavy winds or rainfall, use liquid mulch binder to keep the mulch on the ground.
4. Build retaining walls or terraces on steep slopes. Wash-off slopes with a gradient of 2: 1 or steeper rarely support plant growth. Build a retaining wall to slow wash away while the vegetation takes root. Give the wall a roughly 2% slope to direct water flow. High hills can be turned into terraces with walls and ground steps.
   • You can build the wall from concrete blocks, bricks or wood. Only use wood that has been treated with a preservative to prevent rotting.
   • Also, use retaining walls around flower beds and other raised ground areas.
   • You may need to get approval from the local authorities if you are going to build these types of structures.
5. Improve drainage. All buildings must have gutters or pipes that can effectively drain water from your yard into water storage systems. Without proper drainage, heavy rainfall can potentially wash away an entire layer of top soil.
   • In areas with heavy water flow, it may be necessary to install an underground perforated drainage pipe.
6. Reduce watering if possible. Overwatering your garden can accelerate erosion. Consider a less frequent watering schedule, or install a drip irrigation system to reduce the amount of water flow.
7. Avoid compaction of the soil. Foot and vehicular traffic compress the soil, making it less porous and more vulnerable to water currents. Take steps to reduce this effect:
   • Form permanent walkways with pavers, stepping stones or cleared paths. Encourage people to stay on the trails.
   • Do not walk on wet ground, which sounds even easier.
   • Make a concrete driveway instead of driving over bare ground.
   • Add compost, rotting manure, or other organic matter to encourage earthworms to aerate the soil.

Method 2 of 2: Prevent erosion of agricultural land

1. Keep the soil covered all year round. Bare soil is much more susceptible to erosion than overgrown soil. Try to have at least 30% of your grassland covered, rather 40% or more. After harvesting the crop, leave the remains on the ground as mulch, or plant hardy winter crops.
2. Plant trees to prevent landslides. Tree roots are powerful tools when soil is too flushed or too steep to be planted. Plant local trees on steep slopes and river banks to reduce soil loss.
   • Bare soil around the trees should still be covered with mulch or grass for best results.
3. Reduce buildings. Deep, frequent construction creates a layer of compact soil that is vulnerable to water erosion, topped with a layer of loose soil that is easily blown away by the wind. Consider a no-tilling approach, using a plow iron or other deep planting tool. If this is not feasible, try a ridge cultivation or mulch handling system that leaves the deeper soil layers untouched.
   • These preservative processing techniques also reduce the amount of vehicle traffic, and therefore ground compaction.
4. Protect weak crops with strip cultivation. Crops with weak roots or that need to be planted sparingly are more vulnerable to erosion. Plant these in strips, alternating with strips of an erosion-resistant crop, such as compact grass or vegetables.
   • Plant the crops so that they follow the contours of the slope.
   • Plant these crops perpendicular to the most common wind, if possible.
5. Provide rest periods in the wet seasons. Grazing land cannot remain healthy and erosion resistant if the livestock can graze there all year round. For best results, seal off a pasture throughout the wet season so that the grass can recover itself.
   • If the other pastures cannot accommodate the moved cattle, it is not effective.
   • Whenever possible, keep livestock away from river banks and heavily eroded soil.
6. Control the run-off of the hills with drainage channels. When flow is concentrated in a narrower area, the points where the concentrated water flow reaches a slope are extra vulnerable to erosion. Build a stone channel, or boundary channel, to direct the water to a safe drainage system. Build these also at the beginning of a trench.
   • Do not build channels on slopes steeper than 1.5: 1.

Tips

• Spread awareness in your community to help others combat soil erosion. Plant on bare areas of public land.
• Work vegetable yards along the slope, not top to bottom.
• In areas with a lot of wind or sandstorms, build a fence around your site as a windbreak.
• If you are involved in a construction project, ask local authorities about laws and regulations related to soil erosion.