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

The effectiveness of contoured grass strips for erosion control in a sandy loam soil was studied. Compared with bare soil slopes, grass strips resulted in significantly less runoff and soil loss, but there were no significant differences in performance between two grass species having different densities, heights, and leaf sizes. The grass strips did not act as a sedimentation filter, but rather facilitated upslope ponding, where deposition occurred.