What Type of Soil Usually Has the Most Erosion?

Sandy

• Soils with a high percentage of sand are especially susceptible to erosion. These soils do not have good soil structure. Good soil structure is the ability of the soil to form small clods. Soil structure keeps the soil in place when wind and water pull it. Sandy soils wet quickly and absorb most of the water that comes in contact with them. Because the soil wets fast and thoroughly, it can be easily carried away by water.

Barren

• Any bare areas of soil are particularly susceptible to erosion. A soil that has been plowed or cleared for construction can have much of the topsoil carried away by the wind. When no plants are growing on the surface of the soil, water can speed up over an area and pick up more soil particles. Soil without a covering of some kind of plant life lacks stabilizing roots to keep it in place. After the nutrient-rich topsoil has been carried off a bare patch of soil, it is much harder for new plants to become established in the same area. This makes the area erode even more.

Inclined

• Soils that are found on an incline are more likely to be eroded, because water can increase in speed as it runs over the surface of the slope. Typically, soils are thin on slopes, because it is difficult for soil to form on inclines, due to the erosion forces. However, when there is enough vegetation growing, deep soil can form on mountain sides and other steep areas. If vegetation is removed, the soils on inclines can be quickly eroded -- even all at once, when a landslide occurs.

Precipitation

• The impact of raindrops on the soil frees tiny soil particles. Once these particles are freed from the surface of the soil, they can more easily be washed away. Soils where there is heavy rain are more easily eroded because of their increased exposure to water. Soils in rain forests typically are easily eroded if the vegetation on it is even slightly disturbed. Keeping such soils covered with vegetation is vital to preventing erosion. Using a sprinkler on bare soil can also cause significant erosion.