Topsoil Erosion Calculator

Protecting Topsoil from Erosion in Gardens

Erosion from wind and heavy rain can strip away topsoil before plants have a chance to establish. But it can be minimized by taking these precautions:

Good Groundcover: Make sure planted areas have 80-90% plant cover to hold soil in place.

Reduced Tillage: Limiting soil disturbance helps preserve the structure and stability of garden topsoil.

Cover Cropping: Off-season cover crops protect and enrich soil and prevent runoff.

Contour Plowing: Plowing across rather than down garden slopes keeps soil loss in check.

Windbreaks: Trees, shrubs and slopes reduce wind velocity and blow soil erosion.

Mulching: A 2-3 inch organic mulch layer retains moisture and minimizes water erosion.

Terracing: Creating stepped slopes instead of inclines contains erosion effectively.

Diversions/Swales: Sloped drainage channels safely redirect stormwater away from the garden.

I run erosion risk calculations using this calculator before finalizing garden plans to assess prevention strategies needed:

Step 1: Slope Gradient

Measure slope steepness across the garden site using rise/run ratios or a clinometer.

Step 2: Soil Type

Identify whether topsoil is sandy, silty, clay etc. Finer particles erode faster.

Step 3: Rainfall

Check average annual precipitation for the location. More rain means higher erosion risk.

Step 4: Input Variables

Enter Rainfall(in/year), Slope(%) and Topsoil Depth(in) to get estimated topsoil loss: inches/year

Step 5: Risk Analysis

It outputs the estimated potential annual soil loss from water.

Step 6: Implement Controls

Based on risk levels, take appropriate erosion control actions like planting cover crops.