Grade 6- Methods of Controlling Soil erosion.

Soil erosion can effectively be controlled using the following methods:

• Establishing ground covers which help to prevent splash erosion by preventing them from directly hitting the ground soil particles. Ground covers also reduces sheet erosion by reducing the speed of runoff hence allowing water to infiltrate into the soil. Examples of suitable ground covers include:

• Planting cover crops.

• Use of mulches.

• Planting of trees.

• Growing grass or vegetation on land & drainage channels.

1. Tree roots protect soil from erosion by firmly holding the soil particles together.

2. Trees also help to protect the soil against erosion by wind in various areas especially in arid and semi-arid areas.

Gabions and check dams are constructed across gullies to trap the soil particles but allow water to pass through. After sometime, the land is restored to its original state after the gullies are filled with trapped soil.

If gullies are small, check dams made of brushwood or stones can be used to trap the soil. After the soil has been trapped, some vegetation such as grass or sisal can be planted in the gully.

Farmers can also use trash lines in their farms which helps to reduce speed of run off and helps to trap soil particles especially in sheet erosion.

Use of stone lines which helps to filter out soil particles to prevent it from being carried away.

Method of controlling soil erosion	Photograph	How the method helps to control
Grassed drainage channels		🡒 Grasses planted in the drainage channels helps to trap and filter soil particles and also reduce the speed of runoff hence reducing power of moving water which reduces erosion.
Planting cover crops		🡒 Cover crops helps to cover land which prevents it from being exposed to raindrops which cause splash erosion.

Planting tree. (Afforestation) and Reforestation		🡒 Trees help to cover the ground reducing raindrop/splash erosion. 🡒 They also have roots which bind the soil particles together. This helps to prevent soil from being carried away easily. 🡒 Afforestation means planting trees where they had not been planted at all. 🡒 Reforestation means planting trees in area where they have been cut down.
Use of mulches or mulching materials.		🡒 Mulches prevent splash erosion by protecting the soil against splash erosion. 🡒 Mulches also reduce speed of runoff in the farm.

Building gabions.		🡒 Gabions are structures made of stones and wire mesh. They are place a cross a gabion to help in trapping soil particles out of moving water that passes through them
Use of stone lines.		🡒 Stone line slow flow of water across the farm which reduces speed of run off.
Use of trash line		🡒 They are crop remains that help to trap soil particles when washed away.
Check dams		🡒 They are built across a channel to reduce speed of water and allow soil particles to settle down.

Terraces		🡒 Reduces surface flow of water and carry excess water that cannot be absorbed by the soil preventing it from flowing in the farmland.
Bunds.		🡒 These are heaps of soil along the contour on which grass may be planted on top to control erosion.