Soil erosion occurs when dirt particles are moved by water or wind. In addition to losing your soil, the runoff can wash fertilizers and other pollutants along with it into the storm water system. Most phosphates and pesticides that reach the local New York waterways are carried by soil erosion and drainage problems. Nitrogen and phosphates from fertilizers are carried by runoff and have been linked to many environmental problems, including depleting the oxygen supply of local water systems resulting in the suffocation of aquatic organisms. Contacting an excavation company with experience in preventing soil erosion and drainage issues in a timely manner can prove beneficial to property owners.
Recognize the Signs of Soil Erosion and Drainage Issues
–Consult an Excavation Company Experienced in Diversified Excavation and Grading
The following are some easy to recognize signs of soil erosion and drainage issues:
- Bare spots on your property
- Exposed tree roots
- Small gullies on slopes
- Soil splashes on the retaining walls
- Sediment collecting in low areas or washed onto pavement
Water will always take the easiest path – the path of least resistance. It is important, therefore, to control drainage issues and ensure that the water has an alternative, and less destructive, path to follow. This is what excavation contractors with foresight will do. Soil erosion and drainage issues can cause serious, long-term problems not only with the potential pollutants that end up in the water systems but also with the stability of your building foundations.
3 Ways Excavation Contractors Solve Erosion and Drainage Problems
Solving erosion and drainage problems means identifying the cause and then correcting the problem. Alternative site design solutions will work to reduce the amount of surface area to reduce runoff and use the landscape to naturally filter and contain runoff before it leaves the site. To that end, there are many solutions that an excavation and grading company can use to solve soil erosion and drainage problems.
1. Building and/or repairing retaining walls which are structured to hold rock, soil, and other debris from traveling further. Retaining walls are excellent for solving soil erosion problems and they aid in drainage issues by giving the water a more desirable path to follow.
2.Designing terracing and/or proper sloping of hillsides to control drainage and check the erosion of the soil.
3.Installing irrigation channels designed to carry water at a slow, safe speed away from your property’s topsoil and away from your buildings’ foundations.