The Erosion Process Residue Reduces Erosion Residue Management Estimating Residue Cover Potential Residue Disadvantages Figure 1. Effect of residue cover on reduction of soil erosion. The example shows that a 20 percent residue cover will reduce erosion by 50 percent of that occurring from a cleanly tilled field. Soil erosion and the subsequent sedimentation have been identified as major water quality problems in the state.
Residue reduces soil erosion caused by both wind and water.
However, this NebGuide deals mainly with soil erosion caused by water since it accounts for 80 percent of Nebraska's soil loss. Today, with an increasing need to evaluate and reduce production costs, residue management through conservation tillage has become an important element in farm management. Conservation tillage includes a variety of tillage and planting systems that leave at least a 20 to 30 percent residue cover on the soil surface after planting. The Erosion Process Erosion of topsoil begins when water detaches individual soil particles from clods and other soil aggregates. Raindrops are the major cause of soil particle detachment.