First, let’s clarify. Britannica defines erosion as a “physical process in which soil, rock, and other surface material are removed from one location and transported to another.” Slowly, erosion can completely change and reduce landscapes. See the Grand Canyon. It can be caused by wind, water, and human activity.
Some types of erosion include
For land development purposes, erosion control is any action that attempts to reduce the risks erosion presents to the soil, water, and landscape of your property, such as water pollution, soil loss, habitat loss, etc. These actions can be physical, chemical, and biological methods.
It’s especially important in agricultural, coastal, and construction areas or near river banks and other land development projects. These landscapes tend to be the most sensitive to erosion.
Erosion control services attempt to handle surface runoff before it can become an erosive force with methods like
Caskin Development is a land development and erosion control company that works to keep our clients safe. Erosion control services are tricky because we are technically preparing for things in a “just in case” state of mind. Sometimes our clients struggle to see the worst-case scenario to best prepare for it, but that’s okay because that’s our job.
While we have a lot of tools and materials available to get the job done, erosion control services stand in their own category since they can be quick and simple or lengthy and complicated.
For example, we’ve covered footpaths with mulch, built terraces, constructed check dams, and added gravel. All have very different price tags yet are intended for a similar purpose. No matter what erosion control your land needs, we are the ones to do it.
Your land has needs, and there are many different ways to meet them. Here are some of the most common types of erosion control that you can use in your project.
“Living shoreline” is another name for geo mesh fabric made of synthetic materials that imitates the natural vegetation on riverbanks and coastlines. They hold sediment in place and create a sort of barrier between the water and the land. Also, they support plant growth by settling the soil, allowing them to root and be unbothered by erosion.
Not only can this material withstand the most extreme conditions, but it’s also extremely versatile and affordable.
Gabion baskets are interesting contraptions that your erosion control company will make using wire mesh and rocks. The mesh is used to make a cage that’s then filled with rocks and placed near an entry or exit point near a body of water.
They allow water to pass through them while trapping sediment among the rocks and caging. While gabion baskets are very helpful, they are best used as a short-term solution to your erosion problem.
Bare soil is especially vulnerable to the effects of erosion, which is why you often see it covered. To prevent it from washing away, landscapers, land development teams, and erosion control teams will use mulch to conserve moisture, control soil temperatures, and take the brunt of the elements.
It’s often used in the early stages of erosion control.
Similar to the “living shoreline,” you can also implement blanketing and anchoring devices to any area where you’d like to hold soil in place and allow vegetation to grow through. They slow down water flow over an area and place enough weight to keep layers in place.
These can come in the following forms.
When you place your finger over a hose, covering the hole slightly, the water comes out with much more force. It’s the same idea here. Energy dissipation for the sake of erosion control pulls the finger off the hose. It forces water to take a wider path that absorbs the energy of flowing water.
Energy dissipators come in all different forms, such as
Silt fences are a very common solution to reducing the speed and power of flowing water down a hill. They are geotextile fabrics held by wooden stakes, metal posts, or chainlink fences that line bare soil. You see them most often surrounding active construction sites.
They act as a temporary barrier and are extremely common—only to be used as a more permanent solution is developed.
Seeding, as a solution for erosion control, can either be temporary or permanent. When you need a quick fix, seeding helps to quickly establish a layer of vegetation to prevent erosion on a construction site. This can look like fast-growing annual grasses supported by a mix of seed, fertilizer, mulch, and water.
As a permanent solution, seeding means establishing long-term vegetation that will root, grow, and stay for years. It can help diversity the plant life, stabilize soil, and be composed of grass and other native plants. It can also include planting trees and is sometimes called reforestation.
There are a lot of different causes of erosion, and they can vary depending on location, weather patterns, etc. But there are patterns. Erosion control is most commonly used to protect active construction sites, wetlands, shorelines, and any other type of land that experiences water moving regularly (riverbanks, lakes, etc.)
Construction is included in that pile because it makes land more vulnerable to erosion. Not only that, but building efforts can have a dramatic impact on soil and water quality. When contractors and land development teams use erosion control methods, they can reduce that impact greatly.
Some of the most common causes of soil erosion include
When waves crash onto a surface, the water carries away bits of soil and rock. Against rough waters, the rate of erosion is much higher. Wind works the same way. Rain, on the other hand, carries bits of first and other materials as they run over an area, creating rivets, gullies, and washouts. People also cause erosion through things like construction, which changes the way water flows over land. Driving and walking can also contribute.
Again, any area that land is sensitive to water is an area we serve, but more specifically our headquarters is located in the southeast. If you have questions about a project outside of that region, please reach out, as we often accommodate clients outside our usual service areas.
Almost every structure you’ve ever visited, lived in, or worked in had some degree of erosion control measures. And for good reason, when done correctly, erosion control can be used for any of the following.
For some areas, specifically urban ones, erosion control is a part of stormwater and runoff management, which is regulated by your local government. This can look like storm drains, physical barriers, sediment control, or bank erosion control that keeps a river flowing in a single place.
For any land development project, we are often asked about ”when.” When is the best time to book erosion control services or get help from an erosion control company? Our answer? As soon as humanly possible.
If there is a section of your land that keeps you up at night, give us a call. You never know when the next rainfall is, and not just any normal rainfall, but the one that rips your property apart—we never see those coming. So, it’s best to work the details of your project out as soon as possible.
But that begs the question…
The answer to this is based completely on the features of your property and surrounding features. A specialized team will be able to properly evaluate your land and predict the direction of the elements.
Also, if erosion control work is being added to a construction project, then you’ll to time the services with the construction phase. When doing so, you’ll notice that this work adds to the overall cost of the project, but in our experience, that money is always worth it.
We recommend that you do the following.
No matter where you’re located, you’ll need to consider the best erosion control methods for the wildlife in your area. Wetlands, deserts, and everything in between have a whole network of reliant animals. Ignoring their needs can be 1) against the law, meaning there are regulations around erosion control options and materials, and 2) detrimental to the well-being of your land.
Wildlife is cool, but they are also crucial to the health of any landscape.
To best accommodate the wildlife in your area, consider some of these options.
Also, a great way to support local wildlife is to let the erosion control products run their course and then remove them when they are no longer needed.
The thing about erosion control is that there are a lot of options. This work can be as simple as laying down gravel on a footpath or driveway. And it can involve working with a team of engineers to reconstruct a shoreline. No matter how you do it, there are generally three reasons why you do it.
Wind, water, and people are the three biggest causes of erosion. Depending on your goals and what cause impacts your property more, you can choose your best route forward.
We highly recommend consulting specialists throughout this process, even if you end up doing the majority of the work yourself. Getting some information and input early in the process can save you thousands of dollars down the road.
Remember that there are serious legal ramifications if something goes wrong with your chosen options or the solutions you implemented. Multiple opinions, specifically professional ones, will help drastically reduce the chance of things going wrong.
Now, as you take a look at your land and understand what aspects pose hazards, look at more than just water. While water is the most obvious and can be the most drastic, it’s not the only one to consider.
People, for example, are 10 times more erosive than all the natural processes, so if people regularly come in contact with your land, consider that a hazard and make preparations to address the erosive issues related to that.
Also, don’t forget about the wind. Yes, wind is the weaker of the big three, but it shouldn’t be ignored. On dry land, it’s the most active. Speed is also a factor, as 30 mph winds are 3 times more erosive than 20 mph winds. Arches National Park is a great example of wind erosion.
Your project, especially larger ones, will likely require some combination of methods. Some of those methods include
Physical methods all work to slow down the flow of water and wind. They can change the topography, keep soil safe, and prevent sediment from shifting or flooding new areas. These physical options can include adding gravel, rock barriers, sediment control logs/compost filter socks, vegetation, and more...
Check dams, for example, slow the motion of water down a slope. Gabion baskets trap sediment as water moves through the rocks. Terracing and contouring land can help with both.
Chemical stabilization, usually a combination of polymers/cement or hydro-mulch, is used to bind soil particles and prevent erosion while giving seeds underneath the surface time to grow. It can also look like using pesticides and herbicides to control erosion-causing plants and vegetation. Generally, this is a short-term solution to protect bare soil during construction projects.
Vegetative stabilization and establishment is often done at the end of a land development or construction project but is sometimes used to prevent soil from leaving piles that need to sit for extended periods of time. Cover crops, grasses, and trees can all be used.
Lastly, you can consider water management options for erosion control. This involves drainage systems to redirect water away from sensitive areas (drains and swales), retention ponds to control runoff off of roofs and through streets, and underground systems that can replace above-ground water drainage systems.
Many think that this work is a “one and done” kind of thing. Be careful with those ideas. If erosive issues were addressed “a while back,” check-in. Erosion will always be working against you, so ensure maintenance is included in your plan.
Monitoring these issues and catching new ones before they start will save you in ways you can’t even imagine.
Erosion is the transportation of land particles from one location to another by some type of host. Usually, the word erosion refers to water, wind, or people carrying materials in small amounts.
Erosion control can be considered anything that tries to reduce or mitigate the impact of erosive forces. This can include everything from gravel being used on a footpath to changing the topography.
The question is not which options can you use, but which options should you choose. And, very honestly, the answer depends on a lot of different factors. First, your needs need to be considered. What are you hoping to do? What are you hoping to prevent? Second, consider your budget. Some erosion options can be extremely expensive. Third, consider your local regulations. There may be laws in your town, county, or state that limits what you can and what materials you can use.
There are common patterns that erosive forces tend to follow. Sloping land, waterways, and shorelines are especially sensitive to erosion. By controlling the movement of sediment and water, using materials and systems that will slow water down and trap sediment, you are able to lessen the blow.
Construction and land development projects can be especially hard on land because of the use of heavy machinery. A heavy truck on a damp road can ruin it. Often, erosion control on construction projects include covering bare soil, preventing run off with silt fences, and placing gravel on driveways. It can also be a specific part of the construction project, such as building a retention pond to offset the runoff created by building structures.
Made of a geo-textile material, erosion control blankets are sheets that are used over soil and dirt to keep them in place while allowing enough space for vegetation to grow. They are often used with the intention to degrade over time.
Of course! Plants are often the most preferred form of erosion control because they both add to the landscape and help reduce erosion.
Yes. A crucial part of our process is planning out how to best meet the needs of your land. We will examine all potential hazards and lay out the most economic and effective path forward.
We recommend that you try and examine your land for yourself. Try and identify hazards and make a list. Then, with those ideas in mind, start contacting contractors. You can Google anything, so always feel free to research, but one characteristic to look for is whether or not they are willing to educate you on the “why,” as well as working with your budget and schedule.
