USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory: A Historic Perspective

Most authorities concede sediment from soil erosion to be the largest single stream pollutant. Physical damage from sediment includes reservoir storage loss, navigation channel filling, stream channel morphology alterations, ecological impacts, and clogging of drainage pathways. Ultimately, soil erosion is a very expensive problem. In the United States, accelerated soil erosion has been an ongoing issue since the establishment of the colonies. Through the initiative of great minds and the labor of countless individuals, the USDA was established and continues to fight for the people, providing assistance, guidance, and research. In this manuscript, the historical groundwork is laid for the establishment of the USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory (NSL) and a synopsis of NSL research is provided. This brief perspective of soil erosion research conducted on behalf of the people is but a small portion of the illustrious history of the USDA.