In order to prevent soil erosion and land degradation, Ministry of Agriculture is implementing various watershed programmes, namely; National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA), Soil Conservation in the Catchments of River Valley Project and Flood Prone River (RVP&FPR) and Reclamation and …

You can reduce soil erosion by:

1. Maintaining a healthy, perennial plant cover.
2. Mulching.
3. Planting a cover crop – such as winter rye in vegetable gardens.
4. Placing crushed stone, wood chips, and other similar materials in heavily used areas where vegetation is hard to establish and maintain.

Soils high in organic matter are better able to resist erosion. One of the best ways to reduce erosion is to protect the soil surface with a cover of growing plants or crop residue. Surface cover cushions the impact of rain drops so soil particles are not as easily dislodged and moved.

Water runoff is increased, and run off often carries pollutants with it which negatively impact the surrounding land. Other effects of erosion include increased flooding, increased sedimentation in rivers and streams, loss of soil nutrients’ and soil degradation, and, in extreme cases, desertification.

Some of the greatest effects of soil erosion include:

1. Loss of Topsoil. Obviously, this is the biggest effect of soil erosion.
2. Soil Compaction.
3. Reduced Organic and Fertile Matter.
4. Poor Drainage.
5. Issues With Plant Reproduction.
6. Soil Acidity Levels.
7. Long Term Erosion.
8. Water Pollution.

Uses of Soil

• Agriculture: Soil is fertile and has the vital nutrients needed to support plant growth for human and animal needs like food and clothing.
• Medicinal: Soils can be used to make medicine.
• Cosmetic Products:
• Waste Decay:
• Pottery:
• Building:

These include land use change, land management, land degradation, soil sealing, and mining. The intensity of land use also has a great impact on soils. Soils are also subject to indirect impacts arising from human activity, such as acid deposition (for example, sulphur and nitrogen) and heavy metal pollution.

Aside from desertification, there is no doubt that human activities are a major cause of soil erosion in general. Construction of roads and buildings, logging, mining, and agricultural production have resulted in large amounts of soil erosion in the U.S. and around the world.

Erosion, which produces sediment, is accelerated when soil is disturbed, left bare, and exposed to rainfall. Construction activities, such as grading and filling, reduce soil quality on construction sites.

Our water resources face a host of serious threats, all of which are caused primarily by human activity. They include sedimentation, pollution, climate change, deforestation, landscape changes, and urban growth.

1) All soil is vulnerable to erosion. And during the construction process, soil becomes loose and loses its stability. To help decrease any problems caused by erosion, one method is limiting the space where the soil is moved around during the excavation process, explained in Site Engineering for Landscape Architects.