What is Erosion?

Erosion is the process of degradation of the health of the soil, over time, by way of wind, rain, or other types of disruptive activities. The primary agents that are acting in an erosion process are chemical and mechanical. Chemical erosion is caused by the nature of the elemental compounds the world is composed of interacting with each other on a molecular level and because of their constituent properties. Mechanical erosion happens by way of one agent such as wind or rain blowing against or falling onto the other.

Scenes of the Midwest and Western United States, such as the image below, give a bleak reminder of the effects that erosion by wind can have. Erosion by water, a more common type of erosion in Madison, Jackson, Meridian, and other cities in Mississippi due to the at times extreme nature of the climate we live in, causes the soil to literally slide out from under plants and other structures. As well and because of the expansive nature of the soil in Mississippi, possibly expanding in the presence of water by 200% and causing billions of dollars in damages each year, erosion can have an extreme effect on the foundations. Water simply must be controlled. The soil one builds on must be mitigated to reach conclusions by soils engineers and structural engineers for your project.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s division of Natural Resources Conservation Science states that,

Wind Erosion “Soil erosion involves the breakdown, detachment, transport, and redistribution of soil particles by forces of water, wind, or gravity.”

Efforts to mitigate the concerns surrounding erosion include:

  • Assessing the site to determine the potential erosion sources and consequences
  • Cover, Remediate, Block and Divert – the source of the erosion, whether rain or wind, has similar actions of degradation. Therefore, similar methods of protection may be used.

Ground Cover – slows the speed of water running over the surface while also facilitating the absorption of the water into the soil. Soil remediation would require mixing soils of varying types with gravel and other filling material to reach a certain bearing strength. Blocking would include methods of retaining water and diverting would include channeling the flow of water in a controlled way – away from vulnerable structures and toward those that are stronger and designed to withstand the onslaught of wind and water.

Here is an example of how erosion can be controlled on the site:

Erosion is no laughing matter. Dangerous and costly, preventative methods must fit your property’s needs.

One-size rarely fits all, so our skilled supervisors and managers review site conditions to enact options that really work.

  • Creek and River Bank Stabilization? – No problems. Here is a resource describing river bank stabilization. Following the design of a skilled Civil Engineer will allow the work we do to be completed in a way that is not only cost effective but relevant to modern practices with the latest technological and innovative know-how.
  • Strong currents? We’ve got you covered. Dealing with shoreline erosion can be a significant problem, as seen on this website’s article. We have experience in addressing your concerns with the extreme pressures encountered with strong current flows of river and stream waters.
  • Fluctuating water levels?
  • Wave protection?
  • Mid slopes? of course. No need to be concerned.

We have a successful track record of remediating all of those conditions and more through innovative and traditional methods.

We control erosion for you. Contact or call us (601)326-2894 today!