Original Article Use of Compost/Mulch for Soil Erosion Control on Roadsides WEINDORF David * , Noura BAKR, Magdi SELIM, Yuanda ZHU, Allen ARCENEAUX Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 307 MB Sturgis Hall, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA Received 10 March 2013; received and revised form 29 March 2013; accepted 7 April 2013 Available online 1 June 2013 Abstract Soil erosion from roadsides is a pervasive problem worldwide. Runoff is known to cause sheet, rill, and gully erosion on soils that have been artificially exposed through construction practices. A two year research study was conducted in Louisiana, USA evaluating the effectiveness of compost/mulch as an erosion control measure for roadside soils. A total of individual eight plots at four sites were established to evaluate compost/mulch application thickness, tillage incorporation vs. surface application, and the influence of active construction vs. established sites. Ancillary parameters evaluated included changes in soil physicochemical properties, and monitoring of soil temperature and moisture status. Results showed that the compost/mulch was extremely effective at reducing sediment loss from roadsides. Specifically, 10cm of surface applied compost/mulch was most effective, while 5cm of compost/mulch still provided dramatic reductions in sediment loss compared to control plots. Reductions were documented via lower total suspended solids, and lower turbidity in collected runoff. Tillage incorporation of the compost/mulch was not recommended as it reduced the effectiveness of the material at controlling erosion. Soil moisture retention was enhanced by the application of compost/mulch, and soil temperatures were moderated such that the soil remained warmer in winter months and cooler in summer months relative to control plots. Summarily, the use of compost/mulch was shown to be highly effective in controlling erosion along roadsides, even in high rainfall environments such as Louisiana. Its use as a best management practice is therefore recommended. Keywords: compost/mulch, erosion, roadsides, sediment. 1. Introduction Soil erosion is a problem worldwide. Invariably, soil erosion degrades the productive capacity of the land, lowers organic matter content, reduces soil tilth, and reduces the quality of surface waters. Furthermore, soil is often bound to various nutrients (N, P, K) and metals (Cd, Hg, As, Pb) which can degrade water quality when soil becomes suspended. In Louisiana, the Department of Environmental Quality cited 87 watershed basin subsegments as impaired by turbidity, 136 impaired by low dissolved oxygen, and 8 impaired by total suspended solids (TSS) [5]. * Corresponding author. Tel.: 2254482056; Fax: 2255780396 e-mail: dweindorf@agcenter.lsu.edu Additionally, many other watershed subsegments were impaired by heavy metals or chemicals which make their way into surface waters via erosive events. While natural environments (e.g., forests, grasslands) have some erosion, anthropogenically impacted soils are disproportionately affected. For example, erosion rates have been noted to increase up to 500 fold in construction sites areas relative to undisturbed sites [12]. A perfect example of large scale anthropogenic activities concerns road/highway construction. In order for roads to be constructed, large tracts of land must be systematically cleared of vegetation, scraped, modified, cut, filled, levelled, compacted, and re-vegetated. For example, construction of roads such as the Romanian Autostrada (A3)(415 km upon completion) require years (even decades) to complete and involve vast Available online at http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/promediu ProEnvironment ProEnvironment 6 (2013) 119 - 123 119 brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk