Erosion is a naturally occurring event, but is often exacerbated by human activities such as agriculture and construction. Most soil nutrients are found in top soil, and erosion has a direct effect on soil fertility. The loss of topsoil also affects the soil's infiltration capacity, causing more runoff. As soil particles erode, contaminants become adsorbed and are transported to nearby water bodies, and sediment is one of the most important factors affecting the habitat of aquatic organisms. Sediment can become embedded in between the pebbles and gravel that form the streambed, removing this habitat for use by fish, amphibians, and invertebrates.
Sediment can also stress aquatic organisms when it is suspended in the water.
A similar analogy is thick smoke in the air. The best way to prevent sediment from eroding and reaching lakes, streams, and wetlands is by implementing stringent sediment and erosion control methods. These may involve methods undertaken during a project's planning stages and methods taken in the field. The Water Quality Division's Hydrology Section provides technical assistance for this process. Impacts of Dams Vermont has over 1,000 dams within its borders.