Preventing Erosion & Protecting Soil

What it looks like 

Rill Erosion

• Bare patches where pasture won’t establish, especially on steeper faces.
• A thin layer of soil lost after rainfall (sheet erosion), leaving pasture looking 'scalped.'
• Small channels or rills forming where water concentrates and begins to cut into the soil.
• Soil movement along stock tracks, gateways, or compacted lines that channel runoff downslope.

What you can do     

Sheet Erosion

• Maintain consistent ground cover by avoiding overgrazing and limiting periods where soil is left bare.
• Protect vulnerable paddocks in wet conditions using rotation, back‑fencing, and reduced grazing pressure.
• Re‑grass or oversow early with resilient species and use soil testing to guide fertiliser or nutrient inputs.
• Reduce compaction and manage runoff on stock tracks, gateways, and other high‑traffic areas so water can soak in rather than flow off.
• Plant for stability, such as poplars, willows, or suitable natives, on the steepest and most fragile slopes.
• Consider retiring unproductive or highly erodible areas, allowing natural regeneration to re‑establish cover and stability.

What it looks like 

Gully Erosion

What you can do   

• Fence off gullies to keep stock out and prevent further damage.

• Stabilise gully edges and the gully floor with suitable planting, such as willows, native species, and sedges, and ensure new plants are protected.

• Slow water movement by installing appropriate grade‑control structures (e.g., check dams or small check weirs) where suitable.
• Reduce runoff entering the gully by improving ground cover and managing flow paths further upslope.

What it looks like

Tunnel Erosion

• Small holes or sink points on slopes where water disappears underground, often occurring in soft or dispersive soils.
• Sudden collapse lines, small craters, or piping openings that may appear after heavy rain.
• Fresh sediment deposits downslope without a clear surface flow path, indicating subsurface erosion.

What you can do   

• Act early and keep stock away from active areas to avoid triggering collapses.
• Maintain strong ground cover to reduce runoff concentration and minimise water entering vulnerable points.
• Avoid directing water into suspect areas—redirect flows from tracks, drains, and culverts, and spread runoff where practical.
• Stabilise with planting—deep‑rooted trees and suitable native species can be planted directly into tunnel‑erosion sites to support long‑term stability.
• Seek site‑specific advice, as tunnel erosion can be complex and often requires tailored solutions.

What it looks like 

Slumping on farmland

• Fresh patches of exposed soil on steep faces after storms, indicating recent movement.
• Cracks, tension lines, bulging ground, or hummocky pasture, which can signal slumping or instability. 
• Soil or debris moving downslope into gullies, fences, tracks, or waterways.

What you can do   

• Retire highly unstable areas from grazing (even temporarily) to prevent further disturbance and allow the slope to stabilise.
• Plant for long‑term stability—deep‑rooted trees and well‑placed native species can reinforce soil and reduce the risk of slips and gully expansion, especially on steep faces, erosion scars, and along drainage lines.
• Support natural regeneration where it is already occurring to help rebuild natural cover and root structure.
• Plan ahead for high‑risk slopes—proactive planting before the next storm is far more effective than trying to repair damage afterwards.

What it looks like 

Sediment run-off

• Muddy runoff leaving paddocks during or after rain, often where water concentrates along tracks, gullies, or compacted areas.
• Sediment deposits accumulating at the bottom of slopes, in drains, or along fence lines.
• Cloudy water or visible sediment build‑up in streams, wetlands, or culverts.

What you can do   

• Slow water movement and spread it across the slope wherever practical to reduce erosion pressure.
• Protect critical source areas—such as wet spots, bare patches, and steep headwaters—so less sediment is mobilised during storms.
• Use buffer strips of grass or native vegetation to trap sediment before it reaches waterways.
• Install sediment traps or create small wetlands at key runoff points to capture and settle sediment.
• Address the source of runoff by stabilising upstream slips, tracks, bare faces, and gullies.
• Fence and plant waterways to slow flows and filter out sediment and contaminants.

Useful Guidance: 

• Good Management Practices for Water Use and Irrigation
• Good Management Practices for Waterways and Critical Source Areas

What it looks like 

Strong winds lifting soil from an exposed paddock.   Credit: MAF (2012)

• Blowing soil: Fine soil lifting off paddocks during strong winds and moving across fields or roads as dust
• Soil build‑up: Topsoil collecting against fences, shelterbelts, or along paddock boundaries after wind events
• Bare ground: Dry, exposed soil surfaces, often in cultivated or overgrazed paddocks
• Loss of topsoil: Areas where soil has blown away, leaving lighter subsoil or stones exposed
• Seedling damage: Young plants buried, damaged, or stripped by moving soil, leading to poor establishment
• Dust deposits: Dust settling on waterways, roads, or nearby infrastructure, sometimes reducing visibility

What you can do   

Sweetcorn direct-drilled into a sprayed-off pasture

• Maintain ground cover: Keep soil covered year‑round to protect it from wind, especially after cultivation or grazing.
• Limit cultivation: Reduce how often and how much you cultivate; use no-till or minimum-till techniques such as direct drilling. 
• Stagger activity: Plan cultivation or crop rotations so not all paddocks are bare at the same time.
• Protect bare soil: Use cover crops or leave crop residues in place to help hold soil during high‑risk periods.
• Use shelterbelts: Establish and maintain shelterbelts or windbreaks to slow wind speeds across paddocks.
• Manage grazing: Avoid overgrazing and large bare areas, particularly during dry conditions.
• Focus on high‑risk areas: Prioritise light, free‑draining soils and exposed paddocks, as they are more vulnerable to wind erosion.