What are the effects of soil erosion?
2 mins read
Soil erosion occurs when the upper layer of soil, otherwise known as topsoil, is displaced by either water, air, human activity and other causes. Although it might seem unlikely, if left unchecked, soil erosion can cause significant damage to both the infrastructure and the environment.
But, how does it cause damage? Aside from physical damage, soil erosion can result in other types of damage, such as introducing both physical and chemical pollution.
Here are some of the effects of soil erosion, as well as some erosion control measures to keep it in check.
Silt pollution
One of the most detrimental effects of soil erosion is contamination and clogging up of our natural waterways with silt and dirt. When we expose soil to the elements by removing vegetation during building, construction or poor land management, rain events will have a very negative impact on our environment.
Rain will carry a lot of soil into the waterways and along with it, any fertilisers or herbicides that might be in the soil—having a serious impact on our natural environment.
Physical damage
Soil erosion can also be physically destructive, causing damage to both natural and man-made environments. If left unchecked, it could potentially be the cause of landslides and rockfalls.
With natural events such as these, the environment can be severely impacted, as landslides can carry away soil, trees and animals—potentially destroying a large part of an ecosystem.
However, as well as affecting the natural environment, soil erosion can cause physical damage to infrastructure—destroying buildings, roads and other forms of urban development. If soil erosion is left to cause damage to infrastructure, it can result in huge legal and financial costs.
How can you stop soil erosion?
These are just some of the types of effects that soil erosion can have on both the natural and man-made environments. However, most of these problems occur if soil erosion is left unchecked.
In the case of construction sites in urban areas, it is a council requirement to install silt fencing around the perimeter of your property, regardless of whether it’s a commercial or residential site.
Alternatively, if soil erosion is occurring because there is a lack of vegetation coverage, there are numerous natural biodegradable products that can be used to eliminate this problem and boost the vegetation coverage.
If you’re looking for a means of controlling soil erosion, talk to All Stake Supply, one of Sydney’s leading landscaping product suppliers. We have a range of high-quality erosion control products, including coir matting, jute matting and silt fencing.
Our friendly team will work with you to ensure that you get the right products for your job. If you’d like to learn more, give us a call on 1300 130 123 today.