Soil Erosion

When things erode they tear away elements to do a force caused by nature and manmade.
Just picture the Pacific coast line of California, high winds, and pounding waves. It is caused by
the erosion of the rock structure, leaving behind a formation of very interesting caves, cliffs, and
structures that will take a million years to see the cause of erosion. The soil is not immune to
erosion and the rocks along a coastline. Soil can erode due to the effects of forces, such as water,
wind and farming practices. A soil is naturally created when small pieces of weathered rocks and
minerals mix with organic materials from decaying plants and animals. Soil creation is a slow
process taking years to effect. But soil that is created is subject to natural and manmade forces
that disrupt it. The United States Department of Agriculture defines Soil erosion as "the wearing
away of topsoil that involves the breaking, detachment, transport and redistribution of soil
particles by force of water, wind or gravity" (Natural Resources Conservation Service). Topsoil
is the top layer of the soil and is the most fertile because it contains the most organic nutrients
rich with materials. This later is what farmers want to protect for growing their crops and
ranchers' want to protect for growing grasses and their cattle to graze on. Although soil erosion
helps to transform natures landmarks, we should explore methods of controlling erosion to help
understand the different types of erosion and the cause of environmental change.
One of the great monuments of American is the Grand Canyons, and it is one of the
Seven Natural Wonders of the World reaching to about 277 miles long. Many have visited the
Grand Canyon and asked how it was formed. It is the result of erosion by the Colorado River. It
took millions of years to carve out the deep wide canyons. Today the Colorado River is still
flowing down towards the Grand Canyon, eroding what is left of the rock. When Theodore

Roosevelt first saw the Grand Canyon he said has a natural wonder which is in kind absolutely
unparalleled throughout the rest of the world..the wonderful grandeur, the sublimity, the great
loneliness and the beauty of the canyon. Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it (United
State National Park Service). Soil erosion has created a place where valleys are made from
strong flowing water. Roosevelt wanted to restore and keep the natural wonder of natures
creation available to the world by placing protection of the natural wonder. Experiencing
landmark where everyone can enjoy its view.
Not only did Roosevelt feel like he should take action to protect the Grand Canyon he
also saw what other problems we face by creating a building for small businesses to make an
income on the natural wonder of the Grand Canyon. He wanted future generation's to also see the
creation of the Grand Canyon created by the soil erosion and the power of nature. The power of
nature created by many rivers combining large waterfall in Yosemite National Park in California.
The power of nature creating rivers and lakes makes wonderful waterfalls like Victoria Falls in
southern Africa which is also with the Seven Natural Wonder of the World.
We now have a way to control erosion. We can understand a variety of methods to
decrease erosion of the soil caused by natural events. Erosion can be a major contribution to the
environmental problem when the land is disturbed by an outside force like nature or manmade
cause by development, agriculture, or forestry. Roads and hard pack soils surfaces will not
absorb water, and the runoff increases. We can all agree that plants are the natural, inexpensive,
and very useful way to control runoff to prevent water lost. The erosional force when it strips
down the vegetation. Vegetation also works as a filter to straining and reduce erosion. One of the
biggest management of soil erosion case by water having vegetation. In an article of the
Department of Agriculture of Food, one of the biggest cost is redirecting the effects of water

runoff erosion and is estimated to be around 10 million and covering vegetative to 70 percent
will protect the soil surface from the surface water flow. Not only does surface water reduce the
velocity and the volume of the peak of water flow but it also reduces the chances of soil erosions.
Surface water is controlling the running water off to contours of river banks by using a cropping
and cultivation system that is a buildup of soil structure like a wall to not exposed soil.
Understanding that a good vegetation of the soil reduces surface water. There is some issue to
watch over surface water due to the high amount of water flow it's going to damage soil and the
vegetation but the risk chance of not maintain surface water.
Another step can help prevent surface water. A program called National Pretreatment
Program is in charge of controlling about 126 pollutants from industries that discharge water into
the sewer system.(Goh Kean) This program was based on two types of categories mental and
toxic organic. This includes metals that maybe carried by surface water lead, mercury, chromium
and toxic that cant be destroyed or reduce down. They can cause huge problems that effect
health. The program was structured by treatment. The Primary treatment is a plan to screen
sewage and remove large floating objects such as trash, sticks, and damage equipment left as
trash. The process includes a small amount of sand and stones into a grit chamber to break down
organic materials. This is later collected and removed from the swage from blocking any other
wasted. Sludge is also removed from the grit and used as fertilizer or disposed of. The Second
treatment is a stage where it removes 85 percent organic matter from the sewage. This treatment
filters out organic matter that comes in the sewage. The bacterial matter is gathered within the
grit and will grow in the sewage with the Second treatment it will remove and clean the water
throughout the sewage. Last of the treatment is Advance treatment it's a new problem that the
National Pretreatment Program is having with. The problem is created with the additional

treatment system. It needs wastewater treatment system since California drought the system is
unable to collect waste. These problems are being met by removing the pollutants from the
treatment plants system. The advanced waste treatment is a technique is used from biological
treatment that is able to remove nitrogen and phosphorus to the physical-chemical and separating
in techniques such as filtration, carbon adsorption, and distillation. This allows wastewater
treatment to combine any matter of pollution. To higher rich nutrients used for agricultural or
recreational purpose or even drinking water.
As soil eroded water has different ways of erosion. The varieties of water erosion that
affects the soil has are sheet, rill, gully, and tunnel. Each is a type of soil erosion that shows the
effect of water flow. A sheet is caused when water flowing over the ground resurfacing that cause
a chain of reaction of removal of the top layer of the road, floor, and soil. It may be the cause of
small layer of sediment lifted from the ground or grass. A sheet also can be seen as a rill. A rill is
a type of erosion that is caused by the soil removing organic matter and nutrients. It's a result of
the loss of a topsoil and water quality. A gully is a type of water erosion by the soil which opened
a huge channel creating a disruption on farming operations and dragging crops to wash away. In
an article Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, a study about gully was done to
the effects on agricultural lands. They used geologic map scales of 1; 50,000 and 1:250,000,
aerial photographs on a scale of 1:20,000, field observation, and GPS (global positioning
system). Three soil samples were taken from 25, 50, and 75% of the gully length at each location
and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity (EC), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP),
sodium absorption ratio (SAR), cation exchange capacity (CEC), calcium (Ca), and soil texture
( Mansour Jahantigh). This was because by the soil depth and vegetation of each area were
evaluated. It shows the area had poor range of vegetation covering and also human activity

shows that it has been abused by chimerical used. Gully erosion cause several damage to
agricultural lands including the loss of top soil and has a huge increase of runoff lowing income
to the farm. A tunnel is mostly common in areas that have a dispersive surface of cracks such as
rabbit burrows or an old tree root. Once a tunnel is formed it will contrive to enlarge during a
huge flow of water making the tunnel roof and placing potholes or skin holes that form erosion
gullies. Surface water on earth can control erosion intercepting diverting slow running water.
Rather than permitting flow from being uninterrupted down the slope. The maintaining of water
flows such as surface water can reduce erosion by protecting and improving crops and also
reducing the cost of having drainage use. Nutrients and chemicals that we used on crops are still
enriching the soil and improving water quality.
As a result of surface water, the federal and state regulation requiring the control of
erosion will measure a site that is more than 5 acres. The United Sates Environmental Protection
Agency was created on 1990's this was to oversee the control of the erosion. This act allowed
many data collected by the U.S. Geosocial Survey (Owens). The date was a small construction
site and many potential sources that had a huge amount of sediment erosion. The study was split
into two sides where they could see if the site is stabilized without any construction activity and
also monitoring the water quantity and quality. The project outcome showed that problem of
erosion was from small construction sites. The soil types, sites slope and the type of erosion
control practices that were installed to protect the water surface of the depth on a rainfall and the
intensity it's breaching towards the soil. The problem was the erosion and the transport of
sediment off to the site. We live in a society that is gradually degrading our environment. We see
it as a natural formation like the Niagara River that goes in between the United States and
Canada. This formation of the river is millions of years pounding rocks and millions of gallons

of water down to the soil. There's also other forms of erosion that cause coastline to build cliffs
and caves along the coastline. The climate change is a factor in why more and more areas are
eroding. It's the reason why we are having more landslides in California's coastline. It's the
relation to weather if there were more chances of rain it will develop surface where it will gently
go towards the soil. The chances of having rain are low. If a huge rain fall happened a large
amount of water runs off and builds a failed point of sliding. History shows that a 1982 El Nino
storm in San Francisco Bay area showed areas of the landslide (California Geological Survey).
They were also mapping out the areas that were very hazard areas that landslide might happen.
This act allows neighborhoods to locate areas that might have an existing landslide and one or
more relative result. This new form of Landslide Hazard Mapping Act allowed more study to be
done around landside.
A Forest and Water Geology Program provides areas of maps that have information on
landslides, erosion, and the sedimentation to help guide the use of land and help preserve
California's water quality and animals in their habit. More and more programs are created like
the Seismic Hazard Zonation Program (California Geological Survey). The program is mapping
existing landslides and delineates landsides zones of required investigation. The zones maps,
which also identify liquefaction hazard, identify areas, where a site specify study must be
completed before building permit, was approve. So if areas that are in very high mountains want
to create a community, they will have to receive approval by the Seismic Hazard Zonation.
The creation of nature is magical it is built of natural elements that build the foundation
of where we live. One of the most powerful effects we create is the way we take care of our
planet. Our use of natural resources has caused many chain reactions that will cause us to spend
millions of dollars such as pending 1 billion dollars on polluted and sediment rivers and lakes. If

were are able to control how erosion will take place in our environment we can seek out the
answer to preserving our natural resources and remarkable landmarks that were created by
erosion To prevent landslides and other erosion to the soil With all changes coming into place we
can seek to live in an environment that is healthy. We all have the force of nature all around. Let's
build a better tomorrow because forever, inevitably, irreversibly is all we can ask for to change
lives from good to bad. But how concerned should we be about our world around us?

WorksCited

"California Geological Survey." Landslides. National Landslide Hazards Program, n.d. Web. 15
May 2016.

Goh, Kean S., Ph.D. "Protecting Surface Water." Guide for Industrial Waste Management .United
States Protection Agency. U.S. EPA, 1994. Web. 27 May 2016.
John, Erickson. "Losing Ground." The Enviromental Geology. N.p.: Libaray of Congress, n.d.
175. Print

Mansour Jahantigh and Mohammad Pessarakli Communications in Soil Science and Plant
Analysis 42(18):2250-2255 September 2011with1427
"Natural Resources Conservation Service." Erosion. United States Department of Agriculture,
Web. 31 May 2016.
Owens, David W., Peter Jopke, and David W. Hall. "Soil Erosion from Two Small Construction
Sites, Dane County, Wisconsin." U.S. Geological Survey. U.S. Department of the Interior
and U.S. Geological Survey, Aug. 2000. Web. 14 May 2016.
The Permafrost of the High Arctic: The Tipping Points. Films On Demand. Films Media Group,
2013. Web. 16 May 2016.

United States. National Park Service. "Theodore Roosevelt Quotes." National Parks Service.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Web. 14 May 2016.

"Water Erosion." Department of Agriculture and Food. Department of Agriculture and Food One
Web. 12 May 2016.