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Soil erosion

Soil erosion happens when the top layer of dirt, known as topsoil, is worn away by different factors such as wind or water. Soil erosion happens all over the country, but it is particularly high in the midwest. While dirt might not seem as important as other parts of the ecosystem, it is a vital material.

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While natural erosion helps form habitats like sandbars, wetlands, deltas, and meanders, excessive erosion can wash away valuable soil, damage native vegetation, and reduce water quality.

Exposed tree roots gripping soil on an eroded hillside.

Human activities – such as certain farming practices, removing native vegetation, or building near the river – can accelerate erosion, putting both wildlife and communities at risk.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service estimates that Iowa loses about 150 million tons of soil each year. Topsoil forms very slowly – sometimes less than an inch per century – so losing topsoil faster than it regenerates threatens both the environment, our communities, and the agricultural industry.

Soil erosion isn’t just an environmental problem – it’s a financial one. Farmers lose costly fertilizer and soil nutrients, which reduces crop productivity and contaminates our water. Citizens bear the costs from clogged ditches, silted waterways, and increased water treatment needs.

Erosion can be slowed or prevented through a variety of methods. General practices include planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses along riverbanks and slopes, leaving natural vegetation intact, and minimizing disturbance to the soil. For farmers, additional strategies are important, such as using cover crops, practicing no-till or reduced-till farming, maintaining buffer strips along waterways, and rotating crops to keep soil healthy and anchored.