Lesson 1Lesson 1

Identifying Identifying Environmental and Environmental and Economic Impacts Economic Impacts from Soil Erosion from Soil Erosion

Next Generation Science/Common Core Standards Addressed!Next Generation Science/Common Core Standards Addressed!

HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples should include climate feedbacks, such as how an increase in greenhouse gases causes a rise in global temperatures that melts glacial ice, which reduces the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface, increasing surface temperatures and further reducing the amount of ice. Examples could also be taken from other system interactions, such as how the loss of ground vegetation causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge, decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent.]

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Agriculture, Food and Natural Resource Standards Addressed!Standards Addressed!

PS.01.02. Prepare and manage growing media for use in plant PS.01.02. Prepare and manage growing media for use in plant systems.systems.

PS.01.02.02.b. Discuss how soil drainage and water-holding PS.01.02.02.b. Discuss how soil drainage and water-holding capacity can be improved.capacity can be improved.

Work!Work!

1. Identify the environmental impacts 1. Identify the environmental impacts of soil erosion.of soil erosion.

2. Identify the economic impacts of 2. Identify the economic impacts of soil erosion.soil erosion.

TermsTerms

ErosionErosion EutrophicationEutrophication SedimentSediment SiltationSiltation

What are the environmental impacts of soil What are the environmental impacts of soil erosion? erosion?

The loss of soil from both agricultural The loss of soil from both agricultural and nonagricultural lands is a serious and nonagricultural lands is a serious problem throughout the world.problem throughout the world.

The removal of soil by wind or water The removal of soil by wind or water moving over the land is called moving over the land is called erosion. erosion.

Wind erosion is a severe problem in NM.Wind erosion is a severe problem in NM.

Eastern NM was a part of the region severely Eastern NM was a part of the region severely impacted by drought that contributed to the dust impacted by drought that contributed to the dust bowl era.bowl era.

In the United In the United States about 5 States about 5 billion metric tons billion metric tons of soil are moved of soil are moved annually by soil annually by soil erosion, some erosion, some two thirds being two thirds being moved by water moved by water and one third by and one third by wind. wind.

More than half of More than half of the water erosion the water erosion and about 60 and about 60 percent of the percent of the wind erosion is wind erosion is on cropland that on cropland that produce most of produce most of the country’s the country’s food. food.

The load of the sediment that is The load of the sediment that is carried by some of the world’s major carried by some of the world’s major rivers to the ocean is enormous.rivers to the ocean is enormous. Sediment is soil that is in Sediment is soil that is in

suspension and is being suspension and is being transported or has been moved transported or has been moved from its original location by wind or from its original location by wind or water. water.

While soil erosion has serious implications While soil erosion has serious implications for agriculture, its total environmental cost for agriculture, its total environmental cost to society may be even higher in to society may be even higher in nonagricultural areas. nonagricultural areas.

Siltation is the deposition of soil particles Siltation is the deposition of soil particles in a body of water. in a body of water. This can cause the lifetime of water This can cause the lifetime of water

storage reservoirs to be shortened storage reservoirs to be shortened dramaticallydramatically. .

River channels River channels can be filled in can be filled in and treatment and treatment plants for plants for domestic water domestic water supplies can be supplies can be damaged by silt damaged by silt intake. intake.

A major environmental concern with A major environmental concern with soil erosion is eutrophication, which is soil erosion is eutrophication, which is a condition that develops in water a condition that develops in water supplies when the water is changed by supplies when the water is changed by the increase of nutrients. the increase of nutrients.

This increase of nutrients can be This increase of nutrients can be created by the addition of commercial created by the addition of commercial fertilizers brought in with soil sediment.fertilizers brought in with soil sediment.

EutrophicationEutrophication

If this occurs, the water no longer If this occurs, the water no longer provides a good environment for the provides a good environment for the fish and other organisms in the area. fish and other organisms in the area. Signs of eutrophication are dense Signs of eutrophication are dense

growth of aquatic plants, algae, and growth of aquatic plants, algae, and other organisms.other organisms.

These types of problems pose These types of problems pose dramatic environmental and dramatic environmental and economic impacts.economic impacts.

What are the economic What are the economic impacts of soil erosion?impacts of soil erosion?

The average soil loss to water erosion The average soil loss to water erosion on cropland is thought to be 3.5 tons on cropland is thought to be 3.5 tons per acre. per acre.

Wind erosion is estimated to account Wind erosion is estimated to account of another 2.9 tons per acre of of another 2.9 tons per acre of erosion. erosion.

Unfortunately the topsoil lost is the Unfortunately the topsoil lost is the most valuable, productive for plant most valuable, productive for plant growth.growth.

One reason that producers are so One reason that producers are so concerned with soil erosion is the concerned with soil erosion is the economic effect it has on their economic effect it has on their business through loss of production business through loss of production on their land.on their land.

The total economic loss from lost The total economic loss from lost production is about $40 million per production is about $40 million per year. year.

In the long term, losses will become In the long term, losses will become very significant. In addition to loss in very significant. In addition to loss in production, a producer must calculate production, a producer must calculate the costs of lost fertilizer, lime, and the costs of lost fertilizer, lime, and pesticides, deposition in field pesticides, deposition in field drainage systems and irrigation drainage systems and irrigation structures as well as many other structures as well as many other factors. factors.

Far greater than production losses Far greater than production losses due to erosion is the cost of off-site due to erosion is the cost of off-site effects such as sedimentation or effects such as sedimentation or pollution. This accounts for $3.1 pollution. This accounts for $3.1 billion a year in losses. Damage in billion a year in losses. Damage in this area affects everyone in society.this area affects everyone in society.

Review/SummaryReview/Summary

What are the environmental impacts What are the environmental impacts of soil erosion?of soil erosion?

What are the economic impacts of What are the economic impacts of soil erosion?soil erosion?

The End!The End!