How to Prevent Soil Erosion on Your Property

Erosion can wash away your yard and damage your home. Learn practical ways to stop soil erosion, from drainage systems to vegetation.

Erosion happens when water or wind carries soil away. On a residential property, it can wear away your yard, undermine driveways and foundations, and clog nearby ditches or creeks. The good news is that it’s often preventable.

Common ways to control erosion:

• Plant ground cover. Grass, native plants, and shrubs hold soil with their roots. Bare dirt erodes fastest.

• Install drainage. French drains, culverts, and swales guide water away before it can cut channels in the soil.

• Use erosion control blankets. These biodegradable mats protect new seed on slopes until grass takes hold.

• Add rock (riprap). Large stones slow down water at trouble spots like drainage outlets and stream banks.

• Regrade problem areas. Reshaping the slope can reduce how fast water moves across your land.

• Use silt fence on active projects. During construction, silt fencing keeps sediment from washing off the site.

  
  

The best approach depends on your slope, soil, and how water moves across your land. NC Earthworks installs erosion control and drainage solutions in Greenville, NC and surrounding areas. Call us for an on-site assessment.