Soil erosion is a problem that damages not only small residential landscapes, but it also affects deserts and large forests. Simply put, soil erosion is when particles of soil are moved around because of destructive winds, heavy rainfall, or melting ice.
Not only is soil erosion ugly, but it's also hazardous. When excess rainfall or too much irrigation runs off on lawns, fields, or roads, valuable topsoil containing rich nutrients is washed away. As a result, soil lacks the nutrition needed for helping plants and crops to grow healthy. Even worse, fertilizer and other dangerous pollutants can enter into a water supply. Fortunately, homeowners can help prevent this problem by practicing good erosion control in Southern California.
Symptoms of Erosion
Often soil erosion isn't obvious, so you have to look for subtle symptoms. Some of the most common signs hinting of soil erosion are seeing mud or dirt splashed on pavement or finding plant roots that are exposed. Although signs of soil erosion may not be visible on your own land, you can usually see runoff that comes from your property a few blocks away from your yard.
Types of Erosion Control Methods
Planting vegetation is effective in erosion control in Southern California, as plant roots can anchor soil. On the other hand, it can be hard to establish many types of plants on a slope, as mulch and seeds can easily wash down a hill. The best types of vegetation to plant on slopes are certain perennials, such as wildflowers and clumpy ornamental grasses. Other plants that work well on slopes are those such as daylilies, ivies, vincas, junipers, and forsythias.
Terraces can also help, as they let water soak, rather than run off. Materials used to build the terrace retaining wall may include stone, timber, or concrete. Your terrace needs to be slightly sloped, so water doesn't accumulate at back part of the terrace.
Another common erosion control product is known as matting. This product is a good choice for people concerned about the environment, as it's available in wood fibers. Just place it on the surface of your soil to stop erosion. Plants, trees, and crops are able to grow through matting, while your soil is anchored and healthy.
You can also use barriers or baffles which help to redirect a downhill flow of water or slow water down. These obstruction tools are composed of timbers or stone. However, they're more effective when used on less steep slopes. If you have questions, contact the professionals at Canyon Hydroseeding.
Considerations and Warnings
Examine your landscape for bald spots. There are some California regions containing soils, known as serpentine soils that are not conducive to growing vegetation. The kind of mulch you use is critical in controlling slopes prone to soil erosion. Using the wrong mulch can cause plants to be extremely weak, so they fail to grow well, which increases the chance of soil erosion.
Schedule any construction projects during spring and summer months. This is because your erosion control prevention measures are already set in place by the time that the rainy season arrives.
Before staring a building project carefully inspect your site, noting its draining pattern, slope, and type of soil. Also, be sure to protect your existing plants, by restricting the amount of plants you remove, as well as limit how much grading will be done. You don't want to remove too much vegetation, because plants can be helpful in controlling soil erosion.
What Doesn't Work
Contrary to what many people believe, soil erosion is not controlled by planting grass on slopes. In fact, grass seeded slopes can actually have more erosion. Straw is also ineffective in controlling erosion, although it may work for only 15 minutes after an initial rainfall.
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