Soil Erosion:
With harvest approaching Foothills County Agricultural Services would like to remind farmers of the risk of wind erosion through the fall and winter. Dry conditions and lack of crop growth/residue can leave open soil at risk of eroding even when good management practices have been followed. Soil erosion through wind and water greatly reduces productivity of farmland, can affect neighbors and infrastructure and is a contravention of the Alberta Soil Conservation Act. Leaving vegetation and crop residue on the soil surface is the most effective strategy to mitigate wind erosion. Dry conditions and lack of crop growth/residue will leave open soil at risk to wind erosion. Once soil erosion begins it is nearly impossible to control until crop can be seeded in the spring.
- Leave higher stubble than average crop years
- Avoid fall cultivation
- Considered alternatives to soil applied pesticides that require incorporation
- If conditions allow consider planting fall seeded crops
- When breaking up old forage stands leave soil in large clumps and prepare the seedbed next spring
For more information: An introduction to wind erosion control - Open Government (alberta.ca)