Sediment deposits at the bottom end of fields bury the young plants and the well-structured soil. Because this sediment has poor soil structure, water and air movement is greatly restricted. Field drainage is slow, often delaying spring tillage and planting in this area. The fourth and most noticeable effect of erosion is land abandonment by farmers when a field is cut up by gullies. Gully growth can be directly related to the increased peak runoff rates of conventionally tilled fields.
Residue protects soil from the forces of wind and water that cause soil erosion.
Wind erosion will not begin if the soil surface is protected from wind. Once soil begins to blow, particles of sand bounce along the soil surface detaching more particles on each impact. While wind erosion is very visible, it accounts for only a small percentage of total erosion in Iowa. Water erosion causes the majority of production loss and off-site damage in Iowa. When conservation tillage practices are adopted, soil erosion is reduced by protecting the soil surface from rain drop energy that detaches soil particles from the soil surface.