Humans depend on land resources to fulfill their livelihoods and their intensity is increasing. As a consequence of that the increase of population pressure on the environment regardless of the ability of the environment itself. This situation will encourage deterioration of land resources both in quality and quantity. The apparent physical phenomenon at the site (on site) is the thin layer of soil, so the ability of the soil function as a medium for growing plants and water cycling media is limited, which in turn, the decline of environmental capability cannot be avoided. To find out more about Environmental protection through engineering for erosion control, you can see through https://www.maccaferri.com/us/applications/erosion-control/.
Some of the soil functions that can be mentioned are, among others, nutrient sources, water sources, air providers, a growing base for plants, living places for animals and humans, where the burial of humans, as a material housing and roads, building, sanitation And buffer). Part of the soil’s function is the source of nutrients, water sources, air providers, and the growing base for crops is more oriented to the growing media of crops (agriculture), so here the discussion is emphasized on those matters.
The main natural resources are water and land. One of the factors that helped to accelerate the deterioration of natural resource capability is the erosion. The erosion will decrease the ability of environmental function, either as water controlling medium, plant growth media which will also affect the living creatures that use it.
Erosion Affecting Factors
The destructive power of water flowing above the soil surface will increase with the length of the ground slope. Plants that live above the soil can improve the ability of the soil to absorb water and reduce the strength of falling rain destroyer grains, as well as the dispersion and transport power of watercourses above the soil surface. The treatment or acts that humans give to land and vegetation on it will determine the quality of the land.
Erosion is the result of interaction between climate factors, topography, vegetation, and human intervention (management) of land
Impact of Erosion
Fertile soil is commonly found on top soil layer, while sub soil can be considered less fertile. If there is rain and can cause erosion, then the topsoil will be eroded and then carried away by the water flow. With the transport of topsoil, then the underlain layers are less fertile. Then if the land is planted, then the plant will not be able to grow and the results will be reduced. With reduced yields will reduce farmers’ income.
As explained above, the process of erosion is the erosion of soil grains, then with the flow of ground grains transported to no longer able to transport the grains of soil, the soil is deposited. This precipitation will occur in the lower regions, for example: rivers, reservoirs, drains and seas.
Precipitation in the river will cause siltation that can reduce the ability of the river to hold water so that in the rainy season there will usually be flooding. Siltation of the river may disrupt the vessel’s voyage traffic. As it is known that history has proved once the rivers in Java are still passable ships, but now no longer exist so live rivers that exist outside the island of Java that can be passed by ships.
As a result of silting this river can spread into the sea, because the river water flows into the sea. Now many ports are undergoing silting. With the occurrence of siltations in the harbor, the large ships will have difficulty docking.
A number of attempts to control soil erosion are available, each having different economic benefits, and having different capabilities in suppressing the rate of erosion. In addition to the kinds of plants, management systems and control methods used have an effect on the rate of erosion. Therefore, it is necessary to look for alternatives to the selection of soil erosion control efforts based on the benefits and risks of possible erosion. Furthermore, resource managers (eg farmers) can be directed to be willing to choose plants and erosion control methods that can provide a high enough profit and the risk of erosion as low as possible.
