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December 15, 2003
By: Dustin Cyril
Website: http://www.water-purification-filters.com
Keeping soil In place keeps water pure & clean
Pure, clean water is something that many of us take for granted. One way to ensure good water quality is to keep soil from eroding into clean water bodies.
When soil erodes into bodies of water, sediment fills lakes and streams, causing many problems. One problem caused by a buildup of sediment is flooding. When soil washes into lakes, creeks, and rivers, the water body becomes shallower. When floodwaters wash downstream, the water body is no longer capable of holding the floodwaters within its banks, causing the water to overflow. This overflow of water can be dangerous to lands, animals, and people in its path.
Another problem associated with buildup of sediment in bodies of water is the elimination of fish habitats. Fish require an adequate depth of water in which to live. When sediment fills the bottom of the water body, fish either die or are forced to move to other areas.
Pesticides and excessive nutrients that are attached to the soil particles are also a serious problem. When rains wash soil from crops, golf courses, and residential neighborhoods, fertilizers and pesticides end up in water bodies, contaminating the water used for recreation and drinking.
To help prevent runoff of soils into water bodies, certain practices may be used. Simple practices such as planting grass and bushes in yards may help prevent runoff into storm drains in residential areas. Farmers and ranchers may use more intense practices to prevent soil erosion into lakes, ponds, rivers, and creeks.
These intensive practices used by farmers and ranchers can be costly when implemented on many acres of land. To aid in these costs, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), along with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) offer cost-share assistance to farmers and ranchers, offering to pay up to 75% of costs associated with certain practices.
The practices for which cost-share assistance is offered include:
Contour Buffer Strips- Strips of land near a body of water that is left with natural vegetation and is not plowed or farmed
Critical Area Planting- Grasses, legumes, trees, or shrubs planted to prevent erosion in small, isolated areas
Diversions- An earthen embankment across a slope that diverts runoff from an area where water is unwanted to an area where water is useful.
Field Borders- A type of "picture frame" around a field. They control erosion at field edges and the ends of row crops, as well as turning areas for equipment.
Riparian Herbaceous Cover- An ecosystem along water bodies consisting of grasses, grasslike plants, and forbs.
Riparian Forest Buffers- An area of trees or shrubs located adjacent to and up-gradient from water bodies.
Filter Strips- Use grass or other vegetation to filter runoff and remove sediment before it can reach water bodies.
Grade Stabilization Structures- Concrete, metal or rock structures that allow water to drop safely to a lower elevation.
Grassed Waterways- Waterways through fields which allow water to be filtered and cleaned by the vegetation before reaching a body of water.
Terraces- earth embankments around a hillside that stop water flow and either store it or guide it safely off a field.
Water and Sediment Control Basins- Trap runoff water temporarily and let the sediment settle out before running into a body of water.
Additional News, see water filter.
Author Notes:
Dustin Cyril contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.water-purification-filters.com.
Get educated on the benefits of water purification systems and different water filters available.
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