In mountainous terrain, terrace farming helps prevent soil erosion.
Erosion control is a process commonly employed in construction, landscaping, and other fields to prevent wind or rain from removing soil, rock, plant matter, and other environmental features. Erosion control can be very important as the removal of certain landscape features can severely affect the aesthetic or functional value of a given piece of land. In some cases, such as when structures are built on or near slopes, erosion can even pose risks to the integrity of the structures themselves. Civil engineers, landscapers and others use a wide variety of techniques, from planting plants with spreading fibrous roots to developing elaborate drainage systems to control erosion.
Thousands of years of wind erosion have formed rocks into ridges and ridges known as yardangs.
Some erosion control methods simply aim to divert the forces that cause erosion away from the surface of interest. Rain, for example, tends to run down slopes and through holes in the garden, taking soil and other solids with it. One possible method of erosion control is simply to install a drainage system that completely bypasses the eroded surface. This method may not completely stop or prevent the problem, but it can keep most of the water flow away from the surface in question. In many cases, developing such a drainage system simply means digging a path for the water, which can be done at little or no cost.
Effective drainage systems are not always the best methods for erosion control. They may, for example, diminish the aesthetic value of an area, or the erosion itself may be caused by something other than water. In such cases, it is often necessary to reinforce the eroded surface in some way. Some plants, for example, can be useful because their roots provide a kind of “net” to support the soil and prevent it from being washed away or blown away by the wind. Placing a layer of wood chips or similar materials on the eroded surface can also provide limited erosion control.
More drastic methods of erosion control are sometimes necessary, especially on steep, sandy slopes with little natural support. Some people, for example, choose to place fibrous mats on top of or under a layer of soil to prevent erosion. Other options include retaining walls, which, when properly placed, can provide solid support areas for soil or sand and prevent large-scale erosion. However, often there is no best option and it is necessary to employ a combination of different erosion control methods.