Download Erosion – The movement of soil by wind or water to some new location

Erosion – The movement of soil by wind or water to some new
location. (naturally a slow process but speeds up quickly when it is
exposed)
- billions of tons of exposed topsoil are lost each year to erosion
History
- the invention of the plow greatly increased the amount of
erosion by exposing large areas of farmland
- early colonists would grow one crop (monoculture) in the same
place every year until the nutrients were used up and then they
would move on leaving exposed soil behind.
- colonists moved west to the great plains where the soil was rich
in organic matter.
- Farmland increased rapidly and by the 1930’s giant dust clouds
of soil blew across the county due to dry exposed soil. (dust
bowl)
- The government created the Soil conservation Service (SCS)
(now the NRCS) within the Dept. of Agriculture to conserve
the nation’s soils.
- The NRCS maps and surveys soil to plan methods of soil
conservation.
- Modern technology has allowed the U.S. to increase its
production allowing it to produce more food than needed.
- In the 70’s the U.S. started growing grains for other countries
adding to the erosion problem (dust storms in CA.)
- Many conservation practices are still ignored when using large
machinery because many practices are more difficult to do on a
large scale.
- Besides farming, highway construction, building
construction, overgrazing and some logging activities all
increase the rate of erosion
Erosion – The movement of soil by _________ or _________ to
some new location. (naturally a slow process but speeds up quickly
when it is exposed)
- billions of tons of exposed topsoil are lost each year to erosion
History
- the invention of the _________ greatly increased the amount of
erosion by exposing large areas of farmland
- early colonists would grow one crop (____________) in the
same place every year until the ___________ were used up and
then they would move on leaving exposed soil behind.
- colonists moved west to the great plains where the soil was rich
in ____________.
- Farmland increased rapidly and by the 1930’s giant dust clouds
of soil blew across the county due to dry exposed soil.
(__________)
- The government created the ____________________ (now the
________) within the Dept. of Agriculture to conserve the
nation’s soils.
- The NRCS maps and surveys soil to plan methods of soil
conservation.
- Modern technology has allowed the U.S. to increase its
production allowing it to produce more food than needed.
- In the_______ the U.S. started growing grains for other
countries adding to the erosion problem (dust storms in CA.)
- Many conservation practices are still ignored when using large
machinery because many practices are more difficult to do on a
large scale.
- Besides farming, ________________, ____________,
___________and some _________________ all increase the
rate of erosion