Compost is A Fantastic Tool For Managing Stormwater Run-off
February 2, 2012
We explored stormwater a while ago on our blog by answering the question: “What in the heck does compost have to do with stormwater management?” We wanted to revisit this important topic. Let’s face it, watershed quality, environmental concerns, and construction project costs are all increasing signficantly, and stormwater requirements are becoming more and more common, even at the household level.
What is stormwater? Stormwater is just an unsexy name for rainwater. The beauty of compost is that it turns that nasty, troublesome stormwater, with its fast and furious erosion wreckage, into clean, desired rainwater that filters into our watersheds, nurtures our plants, and rebuilds our earth’s topsoil. Here at Harvest we hope to aid stormwater management efforts by providing compost and organic-based solutions to a landscape near you.
Compost applications prove time and time again to be a multi-tiered solution to erosion issues because compost:
- improves soil quality
- captures rain and prevents run-off
- offers a less toxic solution than soil amendments and is chemical-free, locally manufactured, indigenous, and made from carbon-neutral materials
- reduces peak flows
- retains water to reduce irrigation needs
- reuses food, construction and yard waste – contributing to a zero-waste environment
- is easier on the wallet than concrete culverts, underground plumbing or artificial soil amendments
Compost Turns Dirt into Soil, and Healthy Soil Captures Rain
Compost and mulch applications significantly help rebuild soil quality by improving soil structure and nutrient levels. The composting process encourages the production of beneficial microorganisms, which break down organic matter to create humus. Humus increases the nutrient content in soils. When soil is healthy, the molecular structure is actually able to capture and hold the water, thus reducing run-off and erosion.
A really cool part of the slowed down process is that the soil is able to filter the rainwater as it releases it back into the watershed.
Compost Prevents Erosion on Slopes
By applying a thick layer of compost on a slope, referred to as a compost blanket, erosion is significantly reduced, sometimes eliminated. This is due to the higher holding capacity, which not only reduces run-off but also decreases peak flows, and peak flows are the true instigator to erosion issues with their high volumes and speeds. Compost not only helps prevent erosion immediately upon application, but it also helps seeds establish roots, suppresses weeds and supports the long term growth of vegetation, which further helps prevent erosion.
Innovative Compost Applications are Spreading
As the world embraces compost applications for stormwater mitigation, the technology and innovation in designs continue to grow. Folks from around the world are creating specific ways to use compost to dramatically alter slopes to prevent run-off and erosion, from engineered soils to bio-filter socks. Now more than ever, erosion issues at all levels can be addressed with designs best suited to their particular project or location, whether it be a backyard slope or a highway project.
Want to learn more? Check out this in-depth two part webinar on Using Compost for Erosion and Sediment Control on You Tube.
By Erin Munning
Comments
Leave a Reply
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
CONNECT WITH US
Great blog