Soil erosion remains a major concern in Ohio and throughout the world. Erosion reduces field productivity and contributes significantly to water quality problems. The most common form of erosion is sheet or interrill erosion, which removes a thin, almost invisible layer of topsoil from the field. Recent advances in crop production such as improved varieties, improved cultural practices, and increased use of fertilizers have masked the decline in inherent soil productivity resulting from sheet erosion. Muddy streams, gullying, and the continued growth of clay knobs in some fields, however, are evidence of Ohio’s significant erosion problems.
Most Ohio fields can tolerate erosion at rates of 3 to 5 tons of soil per acre per year because new soil constantly is being formed from underlying parent material. Many fields, however, are eroding at much higher rates. The rate of erosion is affected by many factors, including rainfall timing and intensity, tillage and cropping practices, soil physical characteristics, and slope (both length and angle). Such factors affect both water and wind erosion, particularly important in northwestern Ohio.
Even if erosion rates are below tolerable limits, it is often desirable to reduce erosion further. On the lake-plain soils of northwestern Ohio, for example, erosion rates are normally far below those considered hazardous to productivity. However, a large portion of the soil eroded in this region finds its way into streams and causes sediment-related problems. This sediment also may carry large quantities of plant-available phosphorus that can accelerate eutrophication, causing algal blooms, odor and taste problems, hypoxia, and other deteriorations of water quality. In such cases, erosion control measures are needed to maintain clean water and to preserve environmental resources (e.g., soil, water, air).
Controlling soil erosion should be a high priority in any crop production system. Different situations require different approaches. The best method or combination of methods should be chosen in each case. Further information and technical assistance is available from OSU Extension (extension.osu.edu), Natural Resources Conservation Service (nrcs.usda.gov), and the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Soil and Water Conservation (agri.ohio.gov/divisions/soil-and-waterconservation).