SoilErosion.com

Soil Erosion Problems and Solutions

Coir Erosion Mat

Products to Help Prevent Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is usually caused by one of two environmental events — wind or water.

Wind erosion occurs in flat, bare areas where land may have recently been cultivated or in dry, sandy areas where soil might be loose or unstable. Wind erosion lifts soil particles into the air and deposits sediment over great distances. Preventing soil erosion due to wind involves stabilizing the soil, increasing its moisture content, and encouraging it to form clumps and clods, making it more difficult to move.

Soil erosion caused by water produces drastic changes across a landscape. As surface soil is washed away, vital nutrients go with it, compromising seed and plant growth. Cultivated land is susceptible to sheet erosion when the soil becomes overwhelmed by the rush of water and can’t absorb moisture or filter the water. Combatting erosion from water involves shoring up ditches and culverts, as well as creating dams to divert water’s progress or slow it down.

Causes of Soil Erosion

Rainfall and runoff contribute to soil erosion by carrying soil away and leaving behind sediment, pesticides, and fertilizers in its path. Wind does much the same, except dust clouds from suspension erosion can travel vast distances to blanket regions or smother crops with sediment.

Soil’s vulnerability to erosion might dictate how extensive damage might be but may also provide clues to preventing erosion or minimizing its impacts.

Slope length, land topography, and elevation contribute to soil erosion. Mudslides are a common sight when erosion from water sends sheets of topsoil to slide over itself and dislodge. Accumulating structures like sand dunes created from deposits left from wind erosion are likely to be lifted and carried into the air over and over during a wind event.

Vegetation, or the lack of it, plays a vital role in keeping soil stable and stationary. Roots from growing plants help bind soil together to make it harder to move. Trees can provide soil protection from the wind by making it more difficult for wind to reach the soil.

Effects of Soil Erosion

Economic impacts include crop loss, loss of soil fertility, and repairs or restorations to regions affected by soil erosion. Infrastructure might be weakened and roadways compromised due to accumulating sediment or runoff.

The environmental impacts of soil erosion can be seen in several influences. Wind erosion might strip the land of its topsoil surface and compromise substructures or rooting plants. Water erosion can stress rivers and streams and cause their protective banks to collapse under water’s driving force. 

In regard to the impacts on human health, wind erosion can cause dust and dirt particles to be lifted into the air and possibly blown through windows, exacerbating allergies or upper-respiratory issues. Water erosion compromises agriculture and might result in low-quality produce. Both types of erosion wash away fertilizers and pesticides, carrying them over the land to deposit in rivers or streams or via wind, tainting air and water quality. 

Preventative Measures

Today’s market offers many soil erosion control products in varying applications that can help minimize the impact. Whether their use is for road construction or to provide stabilization and filtration, there are products that can meet and exceed expectations. 

Geotextiles help control erosion and come in several different shapes, types, and textures depending on the purpose it will serve. Geotextiles come in three main forms: woven, non-woven, and coir. These textiles are useful in the preventative practices of strip farming and terracing.

Woven Geotextiles

Woven geotextiles and fabrics are made from several different fiber types. Their tight construction stabilizes soil and are effective for erosion control. These geotextiles are often used in road construction and shoreline erosion control. Woven geotextiles are put to work in regions of heavy erosion, in riprap, and on embankments and slopes to minimize runoff and wall collapse.

Non-woven Geotextiles

Non-woven geotextiles are used for their smooth, felt-like surface that allows water to flow through the fabric while still filtering particles. Non-woven geotextiles are used in areas that require subsurface filtration and stabilization and provide adequate drainage. Non-woven geotextiles are often found in asphalt overlays and in the understructure of ponds. 

Coir textiles

Coir textiles are made from the husk of the coconut and provide a natural solution to erosion control. Coir textiles allow for deep rooting and provide nutrients to support the growth and development of vegetation. Coir supplies adequate aeration and drainage to allow for permanent vegetation to grow through. Coir works to hold seeds and saplings in place and is safe for wildlife. Coir needs no chemical treatment. 

Coir is used to create check dams — small dam constructions across ditches or swales to slow the flow of water or divert its movement. It also adds to existing contours in order to build up the land or fill rills or gullies. Because coir’s life span is two to five years, it is used for short-term, temporary, and semi-permanent solutions. Coir comes in various forms in order to utilize it to its full potential. 

  • Coir wattles create a natural barrier to filter water. Coir wattles are used for their strength and filtration qualities and make wattles ideal for new construction sites to minimize impact. They’re also found in restoration projects to help prevent future damage.
  • Coir erosion control blankets are used to increase soil stability. They are effective in decreasing the effects of wind and water erosion and are often used on slopes or areas sensitive to erosion. In climates where there is a lot of shade or cold temperatures increase seed germination time, coir erosion blankets are used to protect and nurture seeds.
  • Coir logs work in the same way as wattles and blankets, but their shape makes them ideal for use in areas of erosion and runoff such as hills, banks, and shorelines.

More is understood today about how soil erosion impacts the environment, economy, and health. With this knowledge in mind, products on the market are designed to perform various functions in order to stem the tide and offset the wind.

Ways to Control Coastal Erosion

Our coasts are precious resources, home to an abundance of wildlife and popular destinations for rest and relaxation. However, with climate change, human involvement, and normal natural processes, our coastlines are in danger of eroding. When natural barriers such as mangrove trees get removed from coasts due to storms or development, the water begins to dissolve the coastline, dragging away sand and wearing down the limestone.

There are, however, ways to control this process. Coir is a natural, eco-friendly material that can slow coastal erosion and minimize damage. As a byproduct of coconut trees, coir is one of our best resources for keeping coastlines safe from erosion. Naturally produced and ecologically safe, this product is revolutionizing how we deal with coastal erosion. Here we’ll describe how to prevent coastal erosion and how coir can help. 

What Is Coastal Erosion?

Simply put, coastal erosion is the act of a water source degrading a nearby coastline. Each coastline is different, ranging from rocky outcroppings to smooth expanses of sand. Regardless of the geological makeup, erosion affects each of the various ecosystems similarly.

Many places around the world are experiencing incredible amounts of coastal erosion. Louisiana is widely regarded as the main problem area in the United States for coastal erosion, losing as much as 50 feet of beach per year. According to Stephen Leatherman of the National Healthy Beaches Campaign, upward of 80 to 90% of the country’s coasts are experiencing erosion, many at unprecedented rates.

What Causes Coastal Erosion?

Coastal erosion has many causes. Often, erosion is a one-way process, with damage being nearly impossible to counteract once it has occurred. Erosion can happen naturally, as it has been for thousands of years: Wonders like the Grand Canyon, for instance, are testaments to the power of water eating away at rock. 

Most often, natural erosion is a slow process. However, with the increasingly volatile weather and rising sea levels, natural erosion has sped up significantly. According to the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, the federal government spends approximately $150 million each year on beach nourishment and other erosion prevention measures.

Natural phenomena aren’t the only reasons our coasts are eroding more rapidly. Human intervention is another major player in coastal erosion. Beachfront properties have always been desirable, and in the rush to create more, natural barriers such as mangrove forests have been removed. Without these barriers, the erosion process speeds up significantly.

Other human-created issues include storm barriers and cement blockades. While these can help reduce the damage from storm surges, the reflected wave energy can lead to accelerated erosion as soil and rock get sucked away from the coastline and sent out to sea. 

To best preserve our coasts, we must explore alternative methods for reducing erosion and protect our climate by reducing harmful practices. 

What Is Coir?

Pronounced COY-er, coir is one of the best natural solutions for erosion. Derived from coconut fibers, coir is eco-friendly to harvest and manufacture. It comes from the inner husks of a coconut shell and is a fibrous, coarse material with multiple unique properties. It’s rot-resistant, extremely strong, flexible, and buoyant.  

The most common use of coir, and where you’ve probably seen it before, is in household products such as doormats. It’s also commonly used as a lining for hanging baskets because it easily allows for soil drainage without leading to rot. Coir is also used as an eco-friendly stuffing, as sack material, and as gardening material.

Coir isn’t the easiest product to produce, although it doesn’t take excessive processing or require harmful chemicals like many synthetic products do. The process begins with soaking the coconuts’ outer husks until the fibers can be pried apart and separated. Often, manufacturers separate the fibers by color and size. This grading process makes it easier to designate batches for particular uses. The dark brown coir, which comes from mature coconuts, is what people use most often for erosion prevention, as it’s one of the hardiest grades available. 

Once it’s been processed and graded, coir gets bound together into whatever form it’ll be used for, including logs, wattles, bricks, and mats. 

How Does Coir Prevent Coastal Erosion? 

Coir is a particularly effective material for helping prevent coastal erosion, especially for beaches that are in danger of washing away or have been nourished with new deposits of sand recently. 

Coir used to control coastal beach erosion in populated areas is typically bound into logs. These are placed as breakwaters or are set beneath sand dunes. They provide an excellent substrate for roots to take hold of, allowing for protective plants such as sea oats to take root and keep the sand in place. This helps prevent further erosion while also encouraging the return of native plants to beach areas where they had once been. 

Coir mats can help prevent erosion in areas where aesthetics are less of a concern. These mats are placed along areas that are in danger of eroding and help prevent the water from dragging the soil or sand away. Logs and wattles are also used for this purpose and are typically placed in rows to provide additional support along the coastline. 

Thanks to coir’s rot-resistant properties, these measures can stay in place for a long time, outliving many synthetic products. In addition, they don’t release chemicals or damaging byproducts into the water or ground where they’re placed, another attractive feature of these coastal-erosion-prevention products. 

In instances in which a sea wall must be built, either to protect the real estate nearby or because the area is too far gone for more natural erosion prevention, coir can provide an effective fabric underlay and is quickly becoming a popular choice among builders.

Coir is a practical choice for coastal erosion prevention thanks to its eco-friendly nature and efficacy. Whether used on a riverside or beachfront property, coir has the potential to become the most widely used geotextile in the industry. 

Ways to Control River Bank Erosion

Rivers and streams are dynamic waterways that are always changing. Part of this change occurs during river bank erosion. While river bank erosion can sometimes deliver favorable results, more often it can have harmful outcomes. Learn more about how and why river bank erosion occurs and methods you can use to stop bank erosion from happening.

What Is River Bank Erosion?

River bank erosion occurs when water wears away at the banks of a river or stream. While river erosion is a naturally occurring process, human impact can increase its rate. Common contributing factors to river and stream bank erosion include:

  • Clearing vegetation away from the river bank.
  • Flooding.
  • Intense rainfall.
  • River bank saturation from nonriver water.
  • Stream and land use management.
  • River straightening.
  • River redirection around infrastructure or debris in the channel.
  • Characteristics of the river bank soil.

The Impact of River Bank Erosion

While almost all rivers will have some amount of healthy river bank erosion, unstable rivers that have large amounts of erosion are cause for concern. At the site of the erosion, issues can include loss of businesses and farmland, which can bring economic hardship to the area. Additionally, erosion can lead to homelessness and migration if people are forced to move. The most significant problem with river bank erosion is mass failure, which occurs when an entire section of the river bank collapses into the river.

Not only does river bank erosion impact the area where the erosion is happening but it can also affect life down the river. Erosion sends extra sediment downstream, which can change the river’s course and disrupt shipping channels.

How to Stop River Bank Erosion

While river bank erosion is an ongoing issue, there are certain river bank control methods available that can slow down or even stop the process. Because erosion occurs in a natural environment on the water, most people prefer to use natural materials to control river bank erosion. When you’re exploring river bank erosion control options, you’ll find everything from temporary and biodegradable materials to permanent solutions.

Natural Vegetation

Vegetation has a major impact on bank erosion. For the most part, river banks that have vegetation erode slower than those without. This is because the roots of the vegetation generally increase the soil’s strength around the river bank, which makes the bank less prone to mass failure. Additionally, plants can act as shock absorbers during heavy rainfall, which also slows the rate of erosion.

While trees and plants that are native to the area are always the best choices when selecting natural vegetation to control river bank erosion, you can also opt for plants known for their expansive root systems and ability to grow near water. The willow tree is one of the best choices for stopping erosion on the river bank because it grows large and durable root systems rapidly.

Soil Erosion Mats

Another common option for erosion control is a soil erosion mat. While these mats are sometimes made with wood fiber or straw, one of the top materials used is coir coconut fiber. This is because coir is strong yet natural. Plus, unlike straw or wood, coir can last in the water anywhere from two to five years.

It’s good for areas that need temporary reinforcement because it offers a period of increased stabilization before eventually biodegrading into the surrounding area. Additionally, coir soil erosion mats won’t harm fish or other wildlife in the water, and it can help vegetation establish along the shoreline for long-term erosion control.

Coir Logs

Coir logs are another river bank erosion repair method made using coconut fiber. Coir logs are large in diameter, which makes them ideal for supporting river banks or being used for erosion control on hills, shorelines, and other areas prone to erosion. Even though they’re big, coir logs are easy to place. Once they’re in position, they can help establish vegetation growth. They’ve been effectively used in construction sites, restoration projects, and stabilization areas. Most coir logs will last two to five years before biodegrading.

Geotextiles

You can get geotextiles in different materials for a variety of applications. One option you’ll find is woven or nonwoven synthetic fiber geotextiles. Woven geotextiles are incredibly strong, which makes them well-equipped to handle large drainage and erosion control areas. Nonwoven geotextiles are permeable, so they’re ideal for areas where you need drainage and sediment control. Because both woven and nonwoven geotextiles are made with synthetic fibers, they’re UV- and rot-resistant.

You can also find geotextiles made with coir fabric. The fabric comes on rolls that flatten out on the embankment. Unlike synthetic fabric geotextiles, coir geotextiles are biodegradable and won’t harm the environment. Additionally, the roots of vegetation can potentially grow through the fibers and establish plants over the geotextiles.

Tree Revetment 

Tree revetment is a river bank erosion control system that uses small fallen trees anchored horizontally in place along the river bank to prevent erosion. The trees slow the flow of water, which cuts back on the rate of erosion. They also catch sediment in the tree branches and prevent it from flowing down the river. This sediment then creates an effective soil bed to let natural vegetation take root.

Gabions

For a river bank that needs a strong and permanent erosion control method, gabions might be the best choice. Gabions are large metal baskets filled with stone or concrete rubble. They’re an ideal solution for areas in which a large amount of soil erosion is likely to occur. Although they’re not particularly attractive, you can sink the gabions below the water line at the river. Not only does this make them nearly invisible but it also helps slow the velocity of water flow and train the river to flow in the desired path.

Although river bank erosion has serious consequences, you have several option to control it. When you need to stop river bank erosion, consider implementing one of these effective methods.

What is Excelsior Matting?

Excelsior matting is a type of erosion control product that’s very similar to erosion control mats we’ve discussed in other blog entries. The significant difference between excelsior matting and other types of erosion control mats is that excelsior matting uses a specific kind of wood ‘excelsior’ fiber that provides a robust matrix for vegetation to establish itself in. Excelsior matting is designed primarily for use on sloped surfaces, as its durability makes it ideal for locations that might not work with standard erosion control mats.

Choosing Your Excelsior Matting

There are several types of excelsior matting available. Single-net blankets are the most cost-effective but don’t provide as much stability as double-net blankets. Double-net blankets have netting stitched to both the top and bottom of the excelsior material, while single-net blankets only have mesh on one side. 

One of the things to consider is whether it’s important for you to use ecologically sensitive materials in your project. Excelsior matting is traditionally made with synthetic netting and stitching. While there are biodegradable options available, they can be more expensive and might eliminate the matting’s cost-effective benefits. And if you choose to use excelsior matting with synthetic fibers, it’s important to remember to clean up the netting when/if your excelsior mat has partially or fully decomposed. 

There are also heavier-duty excelsior blankets available, which can last for up to three years before beginning to break down. If you’re seeking an erosion control method that has longevity and can provide stability over an extended period, heavy-duty excelsior blankets might be your best solution.

Excelsior Matting vs. Landscape Fabric

Landscape fabrics are similar to erosion control matting but serve a different function. Generally used as weed control, landscape fabrics are often synthetic and are less concerned with sediment filtration than traditional erosion control methods.

Excelsior matting is a much coarser style of erosion control fabric, with a broader range of uses. And, similar to coir matting, excelsior matting is at least partly biodegradable, whereas landscape fabric is traditionally made of polyethylene and used for hardscape projects with timber, paver stones, or loose gravel. 

Excelsior Matting vs. Coir Erosion Mats

Excelsior matting and coir mats have many similarities. Both are made primarily of biodegradable fibers that are sustainably sourced as natural byproducts of either traditional agriculture or forestry. Both have different gradients of strength and longevity, ranging from three months to three years. And both can be used on flat and sloped surfaces.

Coir erosion control mats are generally made entirely of coir fiber, which means the entire mat is biodegradable without requiring a custom order. And while they’re traditionally more effective in flat areas or on gentle slopes, coir geotextiles have seen great success as natural methods of erosion control. Because coir fiber is resistant to mold, fungus, bacteria, and other inhibitors of successful plant growth, it’s a solid option when you want to reseed a large area. 

You can find coir erosion control materials on our site, whether you’re searching for a residential application or need a large amount of material for a commercial construction project.

Best Uses for Geotextile Fabric

Geotextile fabric is a type of material commonly used in construction and erosion control projects to improve the characteristics of the soil being worked with. This allows construction to take place in locations which might not otherwise be accessible.

Traditionally, geotextile fabrics are made of synthetic materials or combined with asphalt or other non-porous materials to increase their strength and filtration abilities. Non-woven geotextile fabrics are most commonly used to prevent groundwater pollution from construction projects and are also most commonly combined with asphalt, rubber, or other materials.

Geotextile Fabric Uses

Geotextile fabrics have several applied uses:

  • Protection – Geotextile fabrics are ideal for protecting easily eroded locations, including beaches. Their versatility means they can even be placed underwater if necessary, preventing erosion from wave currents.
  • Reinforcement – Heavier-density geotextiles can be used to reinforce weak or loose soil in construction sites or areas where the land cannot support agricultural growth on its own.
  • Filtration – One of the most common uses of geotextile fabric is filtration; that is, allowing water to pass through while keeping sediments from polluting natural water sources.
  • Separation – Most commonly seen in road construction, geotextile fabric is used to keep different types of soil from mixing. For example, a geotextile fabric layer may be placed between a coarse aggregate and a finer sub-grade aggregate, keeping the two separate and ensuring the stability of both.
  • Drainage – Another widespread use of geotextile fabrics is drainage. This is different from filtration, as geotextile fabrics used for drainage catch rainwater or other naturally produced water and diffuse it into the soil. This can help prevent flooding.

Using Coir as a Geotextile Fabric

Recent research into using coir, the fibrous part of a coconut’s husk, as a geotextile has shown promising results. Coir fiber is relatively strong and maintains water saturation, which can be essential in drier climates. It’s also cost-effective; the high supply of coir compared to the demand makes coir geotextile fabrics relatively inexpensive.

One of the most substantial benefits of coir as a geotextile fabric is its eco-friendly nature. As a biodegradable geotextile, it adds nutrients to the soil naturally over time while simultaneously encouraging plant growth. It’s resistant to rot, fungus, and bacteria that may otherwise damage or kill plant life, whether it be in your garden or as part of a comprehensive erosion control program.

When used in civil engineering projects, coir geotextile fabrics have been shown to have high durability and strength, resisting compression and adding value to the soil. Coir geotextiles have been used as part of the foundation of both paved and unpaved roads in India, and have also seen great success in slope erosion control and topsoil retention.

Whether you’re using coir on a personal level; for example, to keep your garden healthy and encourage moisture retention, or are hoping for a more eco-friendly alternative to the synthetic geotextiles that are currently available, we highly recommend exploring possible options for coir geotextile fabrics.