12 Effective Ways You Can Stop Erosion in Your Yard

Having a big yard has some major benefits, but dealing with erosion isn’t one of them—it can clog your drains, diminish your soil quality, and increase flooding on your property (hello, water damage and costly foundation repairs).

Rainwater, snowmelt, and foot traffic all wear away your landscape, especially if you live on a shoreline. Luckily, you can stop erosion in your yard with a few simple protective measures. These tried-and-true tips for erosion control methods are a great place to start. 

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1. Mulch the Area

One of the easiest ways to prevent and fix erosion in your yard is by adding a protective layer of mulch or another organic material like compost over vulnerable soil. The problem is this only works on gentle slopes of less than 33%. If your property has a steep hill or you’re trying to combat shoreline erosion, mulch tends to move.

The best way to use mulch is alongside other erosion control methods. For example, you can mulch a line of trees that hold soil in place (a process known as forestry mulching) to provide nutrients that lead to stronger, deeper root growth. The same goes for planting a rain garden in mulch—just make sure you choose the right kind. 

2. Strategically Place Stones

This simple lakefront landscaping idea doesn’t just give your property rustic charm. It’s also a low-maintenance way to stop erosion in your yard. Stone—whether it’s gravel, river rock, or larger stones like riprap—aids in drainage and acts as a protective layer that prevents soil erosion.

Choose a porous variety like sandstone for your gravel to soak up water. River rocks are a great option to put under downspouts and around your foundation. Choose a larger variety, like riprap, to combat waves along a shoreline.

3. Build a Retaining Wall

If you live in a coastal home that kisses the shoreline, you’re probably already familiar with retaining walls. A strong retaining wall protects waterfront property against strong winds, large waves, flooding, and serious erosion that gradually shrinks the property line.

Even if you don’t have a view of the ocean, you can still use retaining walls to support your landscape and limit soil erosion along slopes. Go for a wall with drainage and water control features to boost its impact.

4. Install Stepped Terraces

In the same way that sand dunes prevent erosion on the shoreline, stepped terraces can help limit hillside erosion in your backyard. This architectural landscape concept involves building a series of retaining walls along a hillside to flatten areas of soil within a slope.

Stepped terraces work best on steep slopes where mulch, gravel, and other erosion control measures will wash away. If you hire a landscape designer to install stepped terraces, ensure they install a drainage system behind the retaining wall. The water has to go somewhere, and you don’t want it pooling on your terrace.

5. Plant a Rain Garden

Plant roots help keep soil in place, but a rain garden is a strategic feature to prevent and stop erosion in your yard. A garden of deep-rooted native plants will soak up excess water and limit runoff. Just make sure you plant your rain garden 10 feet from your property to prevent water from sinking into your foundation and potentially flooding your home.

To get the most bang for your buck, you can use a rain garden alongside a rainwater collection system to aid in erosion control and save money on your water bill. Not sure about native plants? A local landscaping company can help you choose the ideal plants for your garden. 

6. Add Some Grass

If you have a gentle slope of bare ground, planting grass seed or laying down sod can help prevent soil erosion. Roots hold the top layer of soil in place, and if there’s runoff from a storm, grass slows its speed and absorbs some excess water.

The best types of grasses to stop erosion in your yard are deep-rooted turf types like tall fescue, but it depends on your climate. Choose a perennial native grass that won’t die off in the winter, so roots stay strong year-round.

7. Install an Erosion Control Blanket

Erosion control blankets help prevent soil erosion by slowing down water as it moves across the surface. They consist of open-weave, biodegradable, and natural materials like jute or coconut fiber. 

You can also find synthetic varieties made from plastic netting. These can be tricky to install effectively, especially if you have a coastal home and need to protect more than just the top layer of soil. Consider hiring a shoreline landscaping contractor who understands the difficulties of coastal erosion. 

8. Plant Ground Cover 

Ground cover is low-growing plants that spread over an area and protect topsoil from erosion and drought. In addition to stopping erosion in your yard, ground cover attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees, suppresses weeds, conserves water, and adds a gorgeous layer to your garden.

The perfect ground cover depends on your plant hardiness zone, but popular plants include creeping phlox, creeping thyme, clover, and sedum (for xeriscapes, in particular). You can even use strawberry plants if you prefer a plant that fruits.

9. Build Dry Creek Beds 

Dry creek beds are small trenches filled with river rocks and gravel that help prevent erosion and flooding. The trenches slow down runoff and direct rainwater away from areas where it could cause harm. You’ll often find dry creek beds at the base of a slope.

Since dry creek beds require a specific placement and slope, hiring a landscaper with expertise and experience is a good idea.

10. Install a French Drain

A French drain prevents erosion by controlling runoff. It’s essentially a trench filled with rocks (not unlike a dry creek bed) with a perforated pipe. The rocks slow down runoff, and the pipe collects and directs water to an area where it can safely drain without flooding (a street, municipal drain, ditch, dry well, or other area of your landscape).

You can install a French drain with retaining walls to prevent erosion. You may also find them around paver patios, foundations, or the perimeter of a yard. Depending on your drainage system's complexity, a French drain costs about $10 to $100 per linear foot.

11. Adjust Your Irrigation System

Hydration is vital for your lawn and garden to thrive. However, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, namely erosion. If you have an irrigation system, be sure to adjust the timers and flow rate accordingly to avoid overwatering. Better yet, consider swapping your existing system for a drip irrigation system because the soaker hoses will ensure safer hydration.

12. Avoid Soil Compaction

Erosion occurs more easily when the soil is compacted because the ground can’t absorb the water properly. To avoid runoff or erosion, loosen up the soil by aerating the lawn or adding compost to the soil. Adding compost can improve the soil’s structure, too. Limit foot traffic and don’t use heavy machinery over any areas of your property that you are trying to protect from erosion.

Why Stopping Erosion Is Important

Here are some key reasons you’ll want to make erosion prevention a priority.

• Lowers the flood risk: By stopping erosion, runoff is controlled, and flooding is better prevented. 

• Protects the foundation and hardscape: Besides being bad for the soil, erosion can damage your home’s foundation as well as any sidewalks and hard surfaces on or surrounding your property, including patios, driveways, and sidewalks.

• Encourages healthy soil: Hydrated, well-aerated soil is better able to absorb nutrients, resulting in stronger growth for your lawn and garden

• Upholds water quality: Erosion doesn’t just send away the soil. It also washes away all the sediment and pollutants it contains. All of it goes right into the local waterways, which is bad news for the environment.

• Offers better curb appeal: Less erosion means a yard you can really be proud of.