The influence of grass density on effectiveness of contour grass strips for control of soil erosion on low angle slopes

Abstract. The effectiveness of contour grass strips in erosion control was investigated in a field experiment involving two grass treatments ( Festuca ovina and Poa pratensis ) and a bare soil control on an erodible sandy loam soil on a 5° slope using simulated rainstorms of 40 mm h^–1 for 45 minutes duration. The grass strips resulted in significantly ( P < 0.05) lower runoff and soil loss than the bare soil but there was no significant difference in the performance of the two grasses, despite their differences in density, height and leaf size. The effect of the lower density of the Poa pratensis was offset by its larger stem diameter so that the surface area facing the flow was similar for both grasses. Instead of acting as a filter with sedimentation occurring within the barrier, the grass strips operated by ponding water upslope of the barriers. Deposition then occurred in the ponded area above the barrier.