Vegetative and Nonvegetative Materials to Control Wind and Water Erosion

Abstract Fine, medium, and coarse gravel spread uniformly at rates of 20, 50, and 100 tons per acre, respectively, adequately controlled wind erosion of smooth, bare, Sarpy sandy loam where no traffic was involved. Resin emulsion sprayed at 600 gallons of concentrate per acre and asphalt emulsion and cutback asphalt sprayed at 1,200 gallons of concentrate per acre adequately controlled wind erosion on level Sarpy sandy loam at estimated respective costs of $213, $247, and $335 per acre on a carload basis, in drums, at Manhattan, Kansas. Under similar conditions, 4,000 pounds of wheat straw mulch per acre anchored with a rolling disk packer was equally effective at an estimated cost of $89 per acre. Quantities of latex emulsion sprayed at rates up to 225 gallons of concentrate per acre were not sufficient to control wind or water erosion on level or sloping ground. Starch treatments were also ineffective to control wind erosion under the conditions of the experiment. On a 3:1 construction slope, at least 1,200 gallons of asphalt emulsion per acre sprayed uniformly on the surface were needed to control rill erosion. The treatment cost $335 per acre. In previous experiments on a 3:1 construction slope, prairie hay mulch at 4,000 pounds per acre uniformly spread and anchored with 400 gallons of asphalt emulsion per acre was equally effective at a cost of about $200 per acre.