How Does Ice Affect Soil Erosion?

Frost Heaving

• Most natural soils contain water. In climates where temperatures drop below freezing, the water in the soil expands. This expansion resulting from ice forming around soil particles lifts and loosens the soil. In an area with sparse vegetation, this can make the soil more susceptible to erosion. The more water there is in the soil when it freezes, the more it will heave and become loose.

Needle Ice

• Like frost heaving, needle ice can form in the soil when temperatures drop below freezing. Needle ice structures are tiny stalactites that penetrate the soil surface and expand through the surface layers of the soil. Needle ice loosens the soil and makes it more susceptible to other forms of erosion. Soils with standing water on them immediately before a freeze are most likely to have needle ice.

Glaciers

• Large masses of snow pack that gradually descend from mountains in the form of ice glaciers can pick up and move soil from one area to another. Erosion by glaciers only happens during an ice age. The longer the ice age, the farther the soil will be moved. Much of the soil that forms on the tops of mountains is carried away by period glacier build-up.

Prevention

• The best way to prevent soil erosion by ice is to keep the ground covered with plants. Leaving a field, lawn or garden bare of plants allows ice to loosen the surface, and when wind or water comes in contact with the soil surface, it can easily be carried away. If an area has to be bare of plants, make sure it is well drained to prevent erosion damage from ice formation. Where irrigation is used, reduce irrigation as much as possible up until the first frost date so there is as little water in the soil as possible when temperatures drop below freezing.