Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is when the top layer of soil is washed or blown away. This top layer, called topsoil, is the most important part for growing plants. It takes hundreds of years for nature to make just one inch of topsoil. When it erodes away, it is very hard to get back.

What Causes Erosion

Rain, wind, and flowing water are the main causes of soil erosion. When trees and plants are removed, there are no roots to hold the soil in place. Overgrazing by animals can strip the ground bare. Farming the same land over and over without rest also weakens the soil and makes it easy to wash away.

Saving Our Soil

Farmers can prevent erosion by planting cover crops that protect the soil between growing seasons. Planting trees and bushes along riverbanks holds the soil in place. Terracing, which means cutting steps into hillsides, slows water from rushing downhill. Healthy soil is the foundation for growing the food we all need.

Fun Facts

• It can take 500 years or more for nature to create just one inch of topsoil.
• About one-third of the world's farmable soil has already been lost to erosion.
• Earthworms help prevent erosion by making tunnels that allow water to soak into the ground.

Did You Know?

The Dust Bowl of the 1930s was caused in part by soil erosion, when huge clouds of dirt blew across the American Great Plains!