Spotting Signs Of Soil Erosion

Whenever the ground in an area is disturbed through the construction of a building or the addition of landscaping elements, there is the potential for soil erosion to occur. Being able to identify soil erosion early will allow you to take the necessary steps to address this serious problem through proper landscaping and drainage.

Here are three signs of soil erosion that you should be looking for as you care for your property in the future.

1. Look for soil buildup

If your property has steep grades, these hills are prime areas where soil erosion might occur. Exposed soil on the hill can be moved by gravity, rain, and wind over time, altering the topography of your home's landscape.

You can easily determine if your hills are eroding away by looking for signs of soil buildup. Check the base of each slope for evidence of soil buildup. This buildup will appear as mounds of dirt that have accumulated at the base of the slope after eroding away from the surface of the hill over time.

2. Look at your vegetation

The plants that exist within your yard can serve as indicators of soil erosion. If you are trying to determine whether or not soil erosion is becoming a problem in your home's landscape, look closely at your vegetation.

Pay particular attention to the root area of each plant. If you see exposed roots, this could be a sign that soil erosion is taking place. The roots of the plants are exposed as the topsoil is swept away by wind or water.

3. Check drainage patterns

Water is one of the most destructive forces when it comes to soil erosion. Rainfall or the water produced by your sprinkler system can easily displace soil over time. You can determine if water is causing serious soil erosion in your yard by checking drainage patterns.

If you see visible signs of drainage, like channels or gullies, these signs are warning of serious soil erosion. Take action to establish a better drainage pattern within your yard to eliminate the negative effects of soil erosion in the future.

Being able to properly maintain your home's landscape requires that you are able to manage the soil within your yard. Soil erosion can compromise the quality of your landscape, so you should become familiar with the early warning signs of soil erosion in order to take swift action to correct erosion problems in the future.

Contact a company like Holleman Hydroseeding & Erosion Control LLC if you're concerned about soil erosion.