A typical spacing is two to five feet apart and a depth of eight inches. Care must be taken so that these furrows are as close to the contour as possible. The object of this practice is to intercept down-slope flow of water and hold it for infiltration. If the furrows are not on the contour, accelerated erosion can occur. Newer equipment places small dams in the furrow at periodic intervals.
Pitting Apply only to fine and medium textured soils with few stones in the upper profile.
Generally, pitting is most effective on slopes less than 10 percent. However, pits may have some positive effect on slopes as steep as 30 percent. Several types of equipment are effective for pitting. Modified disk plows have been the most commonly used type of equipment. Lister bottoms and rotary-drum pitters have also been used.