Evaluating the efficacy of wood shreds for mitigating erosion.
An erosion control product made by shredding on-site woody materials was evaluated for mitigating erosion through a series of rainfall simulations. Tests were conducted on bare soil and soil with 30, 50, and 70% cover on a coarse and a fine-grained soil. Results indicated that the wood product known as wood shreds reduced runoff and soil loss from both soil types. Erosion mitigation ranged from 60 to nearly 100% depending on the soil type and amount of concentrated flow and wood shred cover. Wood shreds appear to be a viable alternative to agricultural straw. A wood shred cover of 50% appears optimal, but the appropriate coverage rate will depend on the amount of expected concentrated flow and soil type.
Foltz
Randy B
RB
Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Moscow, ID 83843, USA. rfoltz@fs.fed.us
Copeland
Natalie S
NS
D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D012987:Soil; D014934:Wood
D012987:Soil