Structures and Methods for Controlling Water Erosion

This chapter describes the use and benefits of soil conservation practices as components of soil erosion control system. These soil conservation measures include conservation tillage, sod-based rotations, contour farming, stripcropping, terracing, grassed waterways, underground outlets, water and sediment control basins, and vegetative cover. The chapter, as quantitative as possible, presents the available database upon which evaluations of practices have been made and hypothesizing where required about the effectiveness of combinations of practices for controlling water erosion, and sediment control basins usually have little effect on rill and interrill erosion, a major distinguishing difference with terraces. Some alternatives maintain the soil resource better than others in specific instances. In every case, however, a satisfactory system of maintaining the soil resources should be designed so that erosion is reduced to an acceptable level, runoff water is delivered to an outlet in a nonerosive manner, and structures that induce sediment deposition are located where needed.