Soil

The state's soil productivity is constantly diminished by soil erosion caused by wind and water. Natural Resources Districts try to offset these natural forces by promoting conservation techniques, educating the public, and working with other agencies such as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, to install best management practices on the land.

Cost-share incentives such as the Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Program (SWCP) and programs specific to each NRD provide landowners financial assistance. Erosion is controlled by installing terraces, grassed waterways, grade stabilization structures and dams, planting windbreaks and improving range management among other techniques. When soil erosion becomes a threat to neighboring property, districts have the legal authority to mediate a solution under the Erosion and Sediment Control Act.

Soil is one of the most important natural resources of our environment. Soil supports and influences the crops we grow for food and fiber, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. The soils of the world fit for plant growth must sustain all the plants, animals and humans that make the Earth their home. The soil acts as a filter for the water entering the groundwater supply, as well as interacting with or being eroded by the water that flows over the surface. Soil has a direct effect on the air we breathe when it becomes airborne and is evident when dust settles or obscures vision. Soil takes long periods of time to develop but can be destroyed or eroded away in very short periods. It is only through proper stewardship of soil that life on Earth can be sustained and improved.