i)Types of erosion

Sheet, rill and gully erosion results from water flowing across the land surface. They occur in all land areas where there is insufficient ground cover to provide protection for the soil.
Gully erosion is the most common form of erosion in southern NSW, especially in steeper country with poor soil structure.
Current erosion mapping shows that while many gullies are still active, but many have been stabilising over the last 50 years, either naturally or as a result of specific management activities.
Sheet and rill erosion is comparatively minor and localised in extent, but usually occurs on moderate slopes and cleared areas. Sheet erosion is considered severe where there is 20–30% bare ground and obvious disturbance to the soil surface.
Roads and access tracks can cause substantial rill erosion and threaten water quality if they are not carefully designed and maintained. Further details on farm road and track design and maintenance can be found in the section ‘Whole Property Planning’ on page XX.

Photos of examples of the different types of erosion would be helpful here

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Causes of soil erosion
• Excessive runoff related to ground cover loss and soil compaction
• Land management activities including overstocking, poor pest animal control, excessive or inappropriate clearing, and urban development
• Drought conditions
• Naturally unstable soils
• Intense rainfall events

Effects of soil erosion
• Loss of topsoil, nutrients and organic matter
• Increased turbidity in streams and storage dams
• Sedimentation of storage dams
• Sedimentation and flooding of infrastructure, i.e. roads, bridges
• Destruction of aquatic habitat
• Increased mobility of nutrients and pollutants in waterways
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