Erosion | Is erosion a problem in the United States?
Is erosion a problem in the United States?
Not long ago, in the 1930s, North American prairies suffered from extreme wind erosion. During a period of high rainfall, large expanses of land were plowed to grow wheat. This period was followed by
years of droughtA prolonged period of dry weather that damages crops or prevents their growth.. The exposed soil of the fields was blown away in hot, dry wind storms. The blowing soil of the Dust Bowl, as it was called, blackened the skies, ruined crops, and left farm fields bare and unproductive.
Today we often hear about erosion. Satellite images show red earth spilling into the ocean off the coast of the island of Madagascar. Here, and in many other places where people clear tropical forests and grow crops on hillsides, extremely high rates of erosion carry away massive quantities of...
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