League City TX Erosion Control

The next time you have a construction site, choose JR Pool Plastering and Texas Gunite for your League City TX erosion control services. With numerous years of experience in the pool remodeling industry, we have become experts in erosion control methods. When it comes to erosion control, managing sedimentation is vital.

Gunite Erosion Control-20 - JR Pool Plastering

Preventing contamination of nearby water sources is critical in erosion control.

Of course, sediment is not the only major focus. We also want to help sites sustain the area’s topsoil in order to maintain the nutritional value of the neighboring soil. Erosion is driven by two natural forces: wind and water. These natural forces cannot be stopped, but they can be managed.

Erosion control is not easy. In general, there is a lot of erosion as a whole. For that reason, it takes a lot to control erosion. JR Pool Plastering and Texas Gunite do our best to manage construction sites. One of the main focal points we have is to prevent contamination of nearby water sources.

Sediment is the primary contaminant of nearby water sources. Sediment is a solid material, mostly rocks and minerals, that is carried and deposited by water. Once settled, it sits at the bottom of a river, lake, or stream. If disturbed, the water becomes cloudy, which causes problems on its own.

Forces of Nature

The two primary mechanics of erosion are wind and water. Ice can also cause erosion, but it is not as common. Erosion is the process of wearing down geological formations via natural forces. Wind and water have an extreme impact on rocks. These forces can change rocks’ shape and chemical structure.

The look of a rock can be changed over a few years if wind and water are adamantly present. Physical changes are the most obvious when it comes to erosion, Water and wind can smooth out rocks or wear them away to create canyons or cave. The Grand Canyon is one of the best examples of physical erosion.

More than 6 million years ago, the Colorado Plateau was lifted by tectonic plates. Water off the Rocky Mountains runs down to the plateau and starts to carve a canyon. After millions of years, the river has carved a canyon, exposing several different layers of rocks.

The other type of erosion that can occur is chemical. Chemical erosion occurs when the natural forces cause the rock to change its chemical structure. Chemical erosion can also occur from human activities, making it important to manage at construction sites.

On-Site Impacts of Erosion

When it comes to the impacts of erosion on-site, topsoil becomes the main focus. Topsoil is the first five to ten inches of soil. This area of soil features the highest amount of organic matter and nutrients than any others. Once the topsoil is removed by equipment, water, or wind, the soil underneath suffers tremendously.

The Grand Canyon is a great example of physical erosion by water.

Lack of Nutrients

Removing topsoil from a construction site creates significant problems for the remaining soil. One of the biggest issues is the rest of the soil lacks nutrients. Finer particles contain the most nutrients, but these particles are always the first to go. After they are washed away, particles are replaced with larger materials like sand and gravel. Sand and gravel do not provide the same level of nutrients as topsoil can.

Compact Dirt

Organic material gives the soil the airiness it needs to thrive. If these organic materials are extracted, then the remaining soil begins to go through compaction. Compaction is the process of the soil becoming denser. That level of airiness is gone creating hard soil.

Compact soil creates a few problems. First, water is less likely to penetrate a denser soil, so it runs off elsewhere. In turn, plants have a more difficult time growing. The plants need a greater frequency of watering. Second, pesticides and fertilizers are less likely to infiltrate the ground. These hazardous chemicals and material can runoff into nearby water supplies.

Disease and Pests

Insects carry disease, and many insects’ habitat is the topsoil. Removing insects’ habitat causes them to enter areas they normally wouldn’t. Subsequently, the disease can spread among humans due to the increase of the insect presence. The use of pesticides may be increased to deal with these insects. Above all, compaction of dirt and the removal of topsoil is detrimental to the soil health.

Off-Site Impact of Erosion

The steps we take to prevent erosion and contamination of water sources is major.

When it comes to the off-site impact of erosion, sediment is the biggest concern. Construction sites create a lot of sediment that needs to be managed, or nearby water supplies suffer severely. High amounts of sediment can create problems within these water supplies that are detrimental to organic life. It can even produce floods and cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.

Excess Nutrients

It is never good for water to have an excess amount of nutrients because it develops the growth of unwanted organic material. This process is known as eutrophication. Sediment carries particles containing nitrogen and phosphorus into the water. Once the excess amount of organic material is thriving, oxygen levels deplete, killing fish and other marine animals.

Excess Sediment

Sediment does more than just carry excess nutrients to the water. It also affects the flow of the water and its ability to absorb sunlight. Once sediment is stirred up, the water becomes cloudy or turbid. High turbidity blocks sunlight from reaching underwater vegetation that needs to perform photosynthesis.

More importantly, sediment causes the flow of water to slow. This slow rate of flow paired with new runoff causes floods. Ditches, streams, and rivers are left to flood.