How to Stop Water Erosion in Your Yard the Right Way, According to Landscaping Experts

You’ve done the hard work—cleaning up your lawn, choosing beautiful plants, and keeping a watering and maintenance schedule to ensure everything looks pristine. But what if nature has other plans? If you live on a slope or a hillside, for instance, normal rains that nurture your garden may also be contributing to something worse: water erosion.

​Water erosion is when soil is moved by rain and water runoff — and it can cause all sorts of issues for your yard. Ahead, we spoke with landscaping experts to explain why water erosion is harmful, how you can fix it, and common mistakes to avoid.

Why Water Erosion Is Harmful to Landscapes

Water erosion is harmful because it washes away nutrient-dense topsoil from your plants, leading to weakened root growth. Washed-away topsoil can also lead to unsightly bare patches, exposed root systems, and pooling water in your yard.

"Water erosion also breaks down soil aggregates, leading to compaction or crusting," says Angelika Zaber, a lawn care specialist at Online Turf. "This makes it harder for plants to grow as their roots may struggle to push through the soil while also receiving less air."

One other problem? Quietly reversing all of your hard gardening work and creating runoff paths in your yard, says Tammy Sons, founder and CEO of TN Nursery. "I have observed it reduce gardens to solid clay, causing plants to be under stress, grow poorly, and become more susceptible to both dry periods and illnesses," she says.

How to Stop Water Erosion

There are ways to effectively stop water erosion from ruining your yard and landscaping. Sons notes that employing a few of these ideas as part of a multi-pronged strategy is your best bet.

Add Deep-Rooted Plants

Deep roots help anchor soil so that it stays in place during heavy rains. Shrubs, trees, native plants, and grasses are all good choices to consider adding to your landscape to help prevent runoff. Some popular choices include forsythia, staghorn sumac, or cotoneaster shrubs.

Plant Ground Covers

Ground cover plants, such as creeping thyme or juniper, are popular options for erosion prevention. "One of our favorite ways to prevent erosion over time is to plant select ground cover plants to cover a hillside," says Ward Dillmore, founder and head landscaper at Petrus Luxury Estate Landscaping Company. "Over time, these ground covers will cover any open soil areas, which will slow the impact of rain during a storm." Ground covers also have dense, sprawling roots that will anchor soil, notes Dillmore.  

Redirect the Water

In addition to planting the right plants to help anchor the soil, you can also physically change the direction of water runoff. "Walls to hold earth, rain gardens, and intentionally designed shallow depressions, or swales, are useful for changing the direction of water and stopping it from building up the power to do damage," says Sons.  

Add Mulch

Mulch is a superhero in the garden, helping with weed suppression, moisture retention, and soil temperature regulation. Plus, it’s very helpful at preventing water erosion. "Mulch softens the effect of rain and reduces the speed of runoff, permitting the land to absorb water at a more measured rate," says Sons.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

As you look for solutions to stop water erosion, you’ll want to be mindful of making some common mistakes that can actually make the situation worse for your lawn and garden.

Putting Topsoil Over Eroded Areas

Throwing topsoil down on bare spots is a very temporary solution, says Zaber. "Simply putting some topsoil on top of eroding soil will help in the short term, adding more nutrients to the soil," she says. "However, it will not help to address the actual issue that is causing the erosion. After some time, the issue will return." If there’s nothing to anchor that newly added topsoil, it will likely wash away in heavy rain.

Placing Water Drain Pipes Incorrectly

Drain pipes aren’t the most beautiful feature of your home’s exterior, so you may be tempted to direct them somewhere you can’t see them. However, if that means the draining water will flow harmfully and erode your soil where it’s directed, you should move it elsewhere.

​"People often ignore where the water naturally flows in their garden and instead prefer to put it in the drains where it looks most aesthetically pleasing," Zaber says. "This is not always an effective solution as the water is likely to continue flowing in the same areas it usually does unless redirected, repeating the erosion cycle."

Planting Shallow-Rooted Plants

Adding plants to your eroded areas is a smart way to prevent erosion, but they need to be deep-rooted, not shallow-rooted. "Plants are a great natural solution to slow water erosion down, as they will absorb the extra water while their roots will bind the soil particles together," says Zaber. "However, shallow-rooted plants will become unstable quickly, which can lead to health issues."

​Some examples of shallow-rooted plants include vegetable plants like leafy greens and herbs, perennial flowers like coneflowers or hardy geraniums, and even some shrubs like azaleas and holly bushes.

Adding Pavers

You might think that paving over a surface will help with erosion, but water will still collect in that paved spot. "We have also seen homeowners create too many impermeable surfaces as a ‘solution’ to a wet area that gets soggy or pools," says Dillmore. "This will just create a larger pool over a patio and not direct the water to a more appropriate location." Adding hard surfaces like patios and pavements without figuring out the water flow issue can actually create more water runoff into the surrounding areas.