By Hans Klopp
Much of South Dakota is currently experiencing dry conditions, especially in the southern part of the state. During extended periods of dry conditions, soil near the surface can become loose and is prone to wind erosion during high wind events. A picture of a field which has experienced wind erosion is shown in Figure 1. A photo of soil blowing off a field can be seen in Figure 2.
Adopting soil health practices, especially keeping crop residue in the field and reducing tillage, can help to reduce the loss of soil via wind erosion during periods of drought. These same soil health practices also help to conserve soil moisture throughout the entire growing season.
Although this article does not account for residue or tillage practices that were done last fall or already this spring, it does provide information on how to manage fields now or in the future to maintain soil health during periods of dry times.
Cost of Soil Loss Via Wind Erosion
Wind erosion events remove nutrient-rich topsoil containing organic matter and essential macro- and micronutrients needed for plant growth. Soil organic matter concentrations are greatest near the soil surface, making the most productive portion of the soil profile the most vulnerable to loss during wind erosion events. The soil texture at a location has been formed through geology and cannot be changed by management, but soil organic matter can be changed by management practices. Soil organic matter is important for nutrient retention, soil structure formation and water retention. Increasing soil organic matter by 1 % can store about 3400 gallons of water per acre in the 0-6 in depth on a medium textured soil (Cates 2020). Having a higher organic matter content allows more limited rainfall to be retained during dry conditions.
An article written in 2022 estimated about $2967 worth of nutrients and topsoil was lost per inch of topsoil in organic matter and nutrients per acre on a sample collected from a ditch in South Dakota (Bly 2022). A sample collected from a road ditch in North Dakota in 2025 estimated that about $1113 worth of nutrients was lost per acre from an inch of topsoil. When you consider the rising cost of fertilizer since these studies were conducted, the true value of nutrients lost via wind erosion would be even greater. Additionally, blowing soil can damage actively growing plants, reducing stand establishment and crop productivity. Severe wind erosion may expose ungerminated seeds or bury them too deeply within portions of the field, resulting in poor germination and reduced stand counts. Collectively, these impacts can substantially reduce soil productivity and long-term crop performance.
Source : sdstate.edu