Especially if your business is located on a slope or hill, you may worry that there could be a problem with water runoff eroding the soil. If you suspect that this may be the case, look for the following signs that you may have a problem with soil erosion on your business's property.

1.  Look for Trenches in the Landscape

The first sign that you should look for is the presence of trenches carved into the landscape. These trenches are formed by water running over the topsoil on a regular basis. Even if there is only a small stream, erosion will occur if the stream runs over the dirt enough.

While you may be able to see the trenches in obvious places, such as near the corner of your business's building where water runs off, sometimes these cut-outs in the soil may be more subtle. You may find areas where the ground's indentation has gentle slope, which can indicate a small but steady stream of water.

These sloping indentations may even still have grass growing and hiding the trenched soil. However, erosion can still happen just below the surface as it carries the dirt without blatantly disturbing the top.

2.  Inspect the Soil Along the Sidewalks

After searching for trenches in your business's landscape, the next sign you should look for can be found along the sidewalks. Even if the sidewalks are on a hill, the soil that is adjacent to them should be even and flush against the concrete.

However, if you have a problem with erosion on the property, the soil next to the sidewalk may appear uneven. You may have one side with a large gap between the concrete and dirt, while the other side has soil overflowing onto the sidewalk.

While this may only seem like a cosmetic issue, the erosion of the dirt around and under the sidewalk could create problems in the future. You may already notice that one side of the sidewalk is higher than the other as the dirt pushes up on it.

Or, you may see cracks as the dirt beneath the surface pushes up or pulls the concrete. Even if you were to spend money on replacing the sidewalk, the same issues will arise if something is not done about the issues causing the erosion.

After inspecting your business's property, you may find indications that you have a problem. If so, contact a business that offers commercial soil erosion control services, like Holleman Hydroseeding & Erosion Control LLC, to have them assess the cause and extent of the issue, as well as to discuss possible courses of action.