SOIL EROSION

&
CONSERVATION
Soil erosion: is the natural process in which the
topsoil of a field is carried away by physical
sources such as wind and water.”
• Soil erosion is the detachment,
transport and deposition of soil particles on land
surface. Also termed as Loss of soil.
• In this process, the soil particles are loosened or
washed away in the valleys, oceans, rivers, streams
or far away lands.
• This has been worsening due to human activities
such as agriculture and deforestation.
 Soil Erosion is caused by:
❑Natural Processes ❑Human Activities

➢ Water ➢ Agriculture
➢ Wind ➢ Overgrazing
➢ Deforestation
➢ Construction
❑ Water (rainfall and flooding)
The raindrops disperse the soil, which is then
washed away into the nearby streams and rivers.
Regions with very heavy and frequent rainfall face a
large amount of soil loss. The flowing water during
floods also erodes a lot of soil by creating
potholes, rock-cut basins
❑Heavy Winds
During dry weather or in the semi-arid regions,
the minute soil particles are carried away by the
wind to faraway lands. This degrades the soil and
results in desertification.
❑Agriculture
The farming practices are the major cause of soil
erosion. The agricultural activities disturb the
ground. The trees are cleared and the land is ploughed
to sow new seeds. Since most of the crops are grown
during the spring season, the land lies fallow during
winters. Most of the soil is eroded during winters.
❑ Overgrazing
The grazing animals feed on the grasses and
remove the vegetation from the land. Their hooves
churn up the soil. They also pull out plants by their
roots. This loosens the soil and makes it more prone
to erosion.
❑ Deforestation (logging and mining)
A large number of trees are cut down to carry out the
logging process. Trees hold the soil firmly. The canopy of the
trees protects the soil from heavy rainfall. The leaf litter
that protects the soil from erosion, is also lost during
logging.

Mining activities also disturb the land and leave the soil more
prone to erosion.
❑ Construction
The construction of roads and buildings exposes the soil to
erosion. The forests and grasslands are cleared for construction
purposes, which exposes the soil making it vulnerable to
erosion.
Types of Soil Erosion is caused by rainfall

1. Sheet erosion- is the removal of the

thin layer of topsoil by raindrop splash or
water run-off.
2. Gully erosion- In Gully erosion, the
surface run-off is very high.
Gullies resemble large ditches or small
valleys; are metres to 10 metres in depth and
width.
3. Rill erosion
Is the third stage of soil erosion.
Rills are the shallow drainage lines that
are around 30cm deep into the ground. The
surface water begins to collect on the
soil in the form of depressions and
begins to erode the soil. It forms these
rills that can make hills and the land
more prone to erosion.
Rill erosion
4. Stream bank erosion
The rivers during floods splash their
water against the banks. In this way the
water cuts through them. Particularly at
curves, water strikes with great speed and the
bank caves in alongside. This type of erosion
is also known as Riparian erosion.
 ❖ Other Types-

✓Wind Erosion-Soil erosion by wind is common in dry

(arid) regions. Two characteristics of such region
are:

(a)The soil is mainly sandy

(b)The vegetation is very poor or even absent

✓Landslides or slip erosion-The hydraulic pressure

which is caused by heavy rains increases the weight
of the rocks at cliffs. As a result they come under
the gravitational force and finally slip or fall
off.
Landslides or slip erosion
Slip erosion is also know as landslide. When
earthquakes occur on areas with steep slopes,
many times the soil slips causing landslides.
Floodplain Erosion
This flooding can essentially remove the
entire topsoil of cultivation and expose the
sub-soils to more erosion. Erosive flooding
can result in the stripping off of 0.1 to
0.15m of topsoil.
 Glacial Erosion
Thermal erosion can occur when the
permafrost begins to weaken due to the movement
of water or simply due to it melting away. It
can occur along the coast or rivers. It may also
be a result of near-shore temperatures and wave
action from boats or wind that cut through the
permafrost.
Coastal Erosion
Coastal or shoreline erosion occurs on
sheltered or exposed coasts. The primary
cause of coastal erosion is due to the waves
and currents, and secondary causes such as
sea-level changes
 Effects of Soil Erosion

1. Loss of Arable Land

• Soil erosion removes the top fertile layer of the soil.
• This layer is rich in the essential nutrients required by
the plants and the soil.
• The degraded soil does not support crop production and
leads to low crop productivity.
2. Clogging of Waterways
• The agricultural soil contains pesticides, insecticides,
fertilizers, and several other chemicals. This pollutes the
water bodies where the soil flows.
• The sediments accumulate in the water and raise the water
levels resulting in flooding.
3. Air Pollution
• The dust particles merge in the air, resulting in air pollution.
• Some of the toxic substances such as pesticides and
petroleum can be extremely hazardous when inhaled.
• The dust plumes from the arid and semi-arid regions cause
widespread pollution when the winds move.
4. Desertification
• Soil erosion is a major factor for desertification. It transforms
the habitable regions into deserts.
• Deforestation and destructive use of land worsens the
situation. This also leads to loss of biodiversity, degradation
of the soil, and alteration in the ecosystem.

5. Destruction of Infrastructure
• The accumulation of soil sediments in dams and along the
banks can reduce their efficiency. Thus, it affects
infrastructural projects such as dams, embankments, and
drainage.
 Soil Erosion Prevention
Soil erosion is a serious environmental issue. Steps
should be taken to curb this problem. Following are
some of the methods of soil erosion prevention:

1. Plant trees on barren lands to limit erosion of soil.

2. Add mulch and rocks to prevent the plants and
grass underneath to prevent soil erosion.
3. Mulch matting can be used to reduce erosion on the
slopes.
4. Put a series of fibre logs to prevent any water or soil
from washing away.

5. A wall at the base of the slope can help in

preventing the soil from eroding.

6. Every household should have a proper drainage

system so that water flows down into proper water
collecting systems.
 Methods to Prevent Soil Erosion

1. Vegetation
2. Contour Farming
3. Build retaining walls
4. Wind Breakers
5. Conservation tillage
6. Mulching
 1. Vegetation
• The simplest and most natural way to prevent erosion
• Plants establish root systems, which stabilizes soil and
prevents soil erosion.
• Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region;
it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is,
by far, the most abundant biotic element of the
biosphere.
Soil Stabilization:
• The plant root system bind the soil at the surface.
• Increase strength of the soil.
• Soil erosion by runoff water and wind is decrease

Water management mechanisms:

• Transpiration is the process in water is evaporation from water
is evaporation from water taken up by the roots
• The root system abstract water from the soil which decrease the
soil erosion by water
 2. Contour Farming

• Contour farming or Contour plowing or Contour

bunding is the farming practice of level rows around
a hill, as opposed to farming up and down on the hill.
• Contouring can reduce soil erosion by as much as
50% from up and down hill farming
• By reducing sediment and runoff, and increasing
water infiltration, contouring promotes better water
quality
 Example of Contour Farming
(a)Crop Rotation - It is a method of growing a series of dissimilar
crops in an area sequentially. Crop rotation is the practice of growing a
series of different types of crops in the same area across a sequence of
growing seasons. It reduces reliance on one set of nutrients, pest and weed
pressure, and the probability of developing resistant pest and weeds.
(b) Strip Cropping – In this method, the cultivated crops
and the cover crops are sown in alternate strips during the
same peroid in the same field.
• (b) Strip Cropping – In this method, the cultivated
crops and the cover crops are sown in alternate strips
during the same period in the same field.
Strip cropping is a method of farming which involves
cultivating a field partitioned into long, narrow strips which
are alternated in a crop rotation system. It is used when a
slope is too steep or when there is no alternative method of
preventing soil erosion.
 3. Build Retaining Walls
• A retaining wall is a structure that keeps soil, rock and water
in place so that it won’t be washed away from the rain.

• The retaining wall is to one of the purposes prevent soil is

eroded by wind, rain and flowing water, but in most likely to
be due to the wind and the rain.
 4. Wind Breakers
• Fieldwindbreaks are linear planting of trees/plant

designed to reduce wind speed in open fields, preventing soil

erosion and protecting crops from wind damage.

• Fieldwindbreaks are typically planted in multiple rows

perpendicular to prevailing winds.
 Reasons for Planting Windbreaks
• To minimize damage to vegetables and crops
• To protect vegetables and fruit trees while they are
flowering (because fruits and vegetables develop
from the flowers, you can increase production by
protecting the flowers from heavy winds)
• To minimize soil erosion
• To minimize the amount of moisture the wind
evaporates from soils
 5. Conservation tillage
• Conservation tillage is method of soil cultivation that leaves of
the previous year’s crop residue (such as corn stalks or wheat
stubble) on fields before and after planting the next crop to
reduce soil erosion and runoff, as well as other benefits such
as carbon store in soil.
 6. Mulching
• In a mulching a material placed on the soil surface to
maintain moisture, reduce weed growth, reduce soil
erosion and improve soil conditions.
• Mulching can help to improve crop yield and
optimize
• Water use reduce soil and water erosion.
• Organic mulch
materials include
grain straw, fresh or
old hay, fresh-cut
forage or cover crops,
chipped brush, wood
shavings, tree leaves,
cotton gin waste, rice
or buckwheat hulls,
and other crop
residues.
 Check Dams – Small(sometimes temporary) check dams
are constructed out of various materials like stones, timber,
steel etc. to control erosion by reducing the velocity of water
flow.

Fig. – A steel check dam Fig. – A concrete check dam0