Control of soil erosion by polymeric soil conditioners
Polyacrylamide polymers are useful in forming water-stable aggregates in soil. They not only have a favorable effect on water infiltration in soil, but also decrease the erodibility of soil. To stabilize soil, the polymers are either mixed dry with soil and then subjected to a wetting, drying, and cultivation cycle or solutions containing polymers are applied to cultivated soil. Five different situations where polymers can decrease soil erosion are described. The first situation involves application to soil several centimeters deep to improve water penetration, so that there is less water runoff and less erosion. The second situation involves application to the surface up to a 2-cm depth of soil to create water-stable aggregates that resist erosion. The third situation involves spraying polymers in solution or applying dry material followed by wetting onto the soil surface, so that after drying the stable structure of the surface of soil will not easily break during rain storms, even though water will penetrate, but with much running off. The soil may not be cultivated in this situation. The fourth situation involves applying polymers to soil via irrigation water to decrease soil erosion by the irrigation water, particularly from furrows. The fifth situation involves applying polymers to driveways and playing fields to decrease erosion of dust by wind. Tested rates of the polymers that inhibited erosion were much lower than those rates used for the product Krilium over 30 years ago.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Los Angeles
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00012
- OSTI ID:
- 5458814
- Journal Information:
- Soil Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci.; (United States) Vol. 141:5; ISSN SOSCA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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