Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 8.6
Uncontrolled erosion along a new roadway in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador (1999) Debris resulted in
choking rivers downstream as shown in
Figure 8.8.
FIGURE 8.7
Severe stream erosion occasionally caused loss of roadway, Andes Mountains of Peru. Concrete gravity walls
failed when foundations were eroded. Collapsed wall in river at (1).
It removes large land areas from cultivation in all types of terrain. Along river banks it
results in the loss of foundation support for structures, pavements, fills, and other works,
as shown in Figure 8.7.
Sedimentation
or
siltation
is an important effect of erosion. The construction of highway
embankments and cuts and mine-waste fills can create unprotected slopes that erode easily
and are sources for sediments to flow into and pollute water bodies. The result is the clog-
ging of streams, which increases the flood hazard and bank erosion, increased turbidity that
can harm aquatic life and spoil water supplies, a reduction in the capacity of reservoirs and
