Sibley Soil & Water Conservation District (507)-702-7077
Erosion Control Practices
Water & Sediment
Control Basins
(Wascob)
&
Terraces
WASCOBs are a series of small embankments across concentrated flow paths on cropland that store then slowly release runoff through an underground outlet. As sediment laden runoff enters the basin, it is stored and sediment is settled out. The intakes that meter
the water out are typically a plastic perforated stand pipe about 4 feet high. The embankments themselves can be designed to be farmed.
Terraces are similar to WASCOB’s except that they are not built across a single water course. A terrace embankment is built to intercept sheet flow across a field. Spacing between terraces is designed such that the sheet flow distance is broken up into non-erosive lengths. Sites that are suitable for terraces usually have long, continuous slopes that do not contain defined concentrated flow channels.