Got Dirt?? Let’s Keep It!
Help the Environment!
Help the Environment!
Soil erosion is the greatest threat to our nation’s soil productivity and the largest source of pollution in our waterways. Erosion is the wearing away of soil by water, wind and other sources.
Water causes most of the erosion in Indiana. Water erosion begins when a raindrop hits an unprotected soil surface. During a rainstorm, the raindrops look and have the effect of small bombs. The impact of the raindrop loosens and breaks individual soil particles free from the soil mass. As the rain continues and water begins to runoff the land surface, it carries the soil particles away. The eroded soil particles usually end up in undesirable places and are called sediment.
Erosion increases the cost of farming and contributes to lower profits for farmers and higher food prices for consumers. Farm damage from erosion includes lower yields of crops, higher fertilizer costs, increased fuel costs to till the tougher subsoil and higher bills for equipment maintenance. Sediment from erosion in urban areas is also costly. It clogs storm drains and drainage channels causing increased costs for street and drain maintenance.
Off the farm and downstream from urban development, sediment from eroding areas clogs rivers and decreases reservoir capacity. This restricts navigation, reduces recreation potential and scenic value and increases the hazards and severity of flooding. A side effect of erosion and sedimentation is the movement of plant nutrients, pesticides and other chemicals off the land. This causes a loss of fish and wildlife habitat and polluted water supplies. An often-overlooked effect of sedimentation is a very serious safety hazard when the sediment covers road surfaces.
Tippecanoe County Soil and Water Conservation Districts is helping farmers and other land users overcome soil erosion problems and create a more healthy soil and cleaner water. Contact us today at 765-474-9992, Ext. 3 or visit www.tippecanoecountyswcd.org for help in planning and applying erosion control systems. .
Water causes most of the erosion in Indiana. Water erosion begins when a raindrop hits an unprotected soil surface. During a rainstorm, the raindrops look and have the effect of small bombs. The impact of the raindrop loosens and breaks individual soil particles free from the soil mass. As the rain continues and water begins to runoff the land surface, it carries the soil particles away. The eroded soil particles usually end up in undesirable places and are called sediment.
Erosion increases the cost of farming and contributes to lower profits for farmers and higher food prices for consumers. Farm damage from erosion includes lower yields of crops, higher fertilizer costs, increased fuel costs to till the tougher subsoil and higher bills for equipment maintenance. Sediment from erosion in urban areas is also costly. It clogs storm drains and drainage channels causing increased costs for street and drain maintenance.
Off the farm and downstream from urban development, sediment from eroding areas clogs rivers and decreases reservoir capacity. This restricts navigation, reduces recreation potential and scenic value and increases the hazards and severity of flooding. A side effect of erosion and sedimentation is the movement of plant nutrients, pesticides and other chemicals off the land. This causes a loss of fish and wildlife habitat and polluted water supplies. An often-overlooked effect of sedimentation is a very serious safety hazard when the sediment covers road surfaces.
Tippecanoe County Soil and Water Conservation Districts is helping farmers and other land users overcome soil erosion problems and create a more healthy soil and cleaner water. Contact us today at 765-474-9992, Ext. 3 or visit www.tippecanoecountyswcd.org for help in planning and applying erosion control systems. .
