2
With the development site cleared of all vegetation area, is now prone to soil losses in excess of 70 tons per acre.

3
Sites started and then abandoned also create soil erosion problems.

4
Each home site not protected from erosion loses one or two dump truck loads of soil. Wouldn't the future home owners of these lots love to have this lost topsoil when it comes time to seed grass for their lawns?

5
Oh boy! It's open house time! Isn't this attractive! Just think how much extra water and fertilizer the home owner is going to have to use to keep their lawn going? Not just the first year either. Every year.

6
Off site damages can be enormous. Clogged drainage ways, silt laden streams, reservoirs filled with sediment, damage to adjacent landowners, all with environmental and financial costs.

7
As more homes, shopping centers and roads are built more water runs off the land, and faster. Areas once safe from flooding are now prone to flooding. Gently flowing backyard streams now become a cancer under cutting soil from homes

SOLUTIONS
Limiting the loss of soil during construction can be achieved through a combination of erosion control (stopping soil erosion at the source) and sediment control (trapping soil that has eroded before it leaves the site) practices.

Limiting downstream flooding and stream bank erosion is accomplished by retaining the increased storm runoff in structures that slowly discharges the water.

8
Temporary seedings during construction or while individual lots wait for new houses is an excellent way to control soil erosion. It also makes the new sub-division more attractive to potential buyers.

9
Applying a mulch such as wheat straw at the time of seeding protects the soil from hard rains.

Below an excellent lawn was established using mulch. The mulch also retains mositure to aid in germination resulting in much less water needs.

10
A silt fence is used to slow down water so it can filter out the sediments carried in the water. They are not intended for a large drainage however and can become overwhelmed. Proper installation and maintenance is essential if it is to be effective.

11
Straw bales are used for temporay grade control and as a sediment trap. It is rare to see them used or maintained correctly. They must be dug in, spaced properly and they just are not for a large drainage.

12
Sediment basins are an excellent way to trap large volumes of sediment. Unlike silt fence and straw bale sediment traps, basins can be designed to handle a large drainage. Specially designed inlet pipes allows flood water passage while sediment is trapped. With some modification these same structures can serve as flood control devices after the project is completed.

13
Structures such as these are designed to limit the rate at which water can pass thus reducing the potential for flooding down stream.

14
Accelerated stream bank erosion is a problem in both rural and urban areas. Normally because you do not have time for it to heel using only vegetation, hardened structures such as gabion baskets filled with rock are used to protect valued structures.