Reflection in the dirt

This week was quite an amazing one.  My most enjoyable point was the soil box experiment.  Working with a team to try and come up with the best possible way to reduce erosion was a fun way to get us thinking about how we can minimize erosion.  The presentation on other methods of soil erosion prevention was also interesting.  I would always see sediment basins along the road but never know what they are, because if this week I know much more about soil erosion and the dangers of it.  What we learned can help us to prevent soil erosion in the world around us.  I thought that seeing the cracks in the road was the most interesting type of erosion.  The cracks in the road occur when water sinks into the road and then freezes, when the water freezes it expands and causes cracks in the road.

The only questions I feel that need to be asked are

1.) Why would people not attempt to reduce soil erosion when it is such a large problem today?

2.) How long does it take for gulleys to be formed?

3.) Which places in our environment are exposed to soil erosion that are impossible to fix?

Vocabulary

1.) Soil Erosion- the movement of soil from one location to another

2.) Transport- Water carries teh soil to a different location

3.) Rill- A small rivulet or brook

4.) Gully- A small valley or ravine originally worn away by running water

5.) Detatchment- Separation of soil from other soil particles

-JAK-