If you have always wondered what would happen if water was left to its own devices, we have some mighty examples of the power of erosion when it is left uncontrolled.
Unless you have seen the effects of erosion firsthand, it is understandable if you are a bit skeptical when you hear about the immense power of erosion. After all, seeing is believing, and having not witnessed the action of erosion, it would be difficult to apprehend how destructive it can be. If you’re anything like how we used to be or many homeowners who are unaware of this, the damage will need to happen to you firsthand to realize that erosion control is a very important preventative measure to take.
There are plenty of erosion examples in nature, and you don’t have to look far to find them. Here is a list of some infamous landscapes that came about from erosion. With these, we hope you will understand the effects the power of erosion can have on your structures if you do not invest in professional exterior waterproofing to prevent it:
The Grand Canyon
If erosion control were as big a discipline as today, we probably wouldn’t have a Grand Canyon. This mammoth of a channel was developed by river erosion. Water and the particles suspended in it had enough power to carve a 277-mile-long channel through soil, rock, and even carve out a way in uphill places. The power of erosion is exemplified by how the Colorado river could cut through this land and form the canyon over time.
Creelsboro Natural Bridge
Water does not have to flow at high speeds to be destructive. The action of gently flowing water over time caused the formation of Creelsboro Natural Bridge in Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. While it is a tourist attraction nowadays, we doubt the people who were displaced or had their water filled with sediment from the area had nice words to say about the Cumberland River’s action.
Kannesteinen Vågsøy (Norway)
If you thought solid rock was safe from the erosive power of water—think again. It is not the sheer power of water all at once that is destructive, but the slow action that causes significant damage over time. The Kannesteinen Vågsøy exemplifies this; the narrow trunk of this pedestal forming a giant mushroom shows where water action has been over the years. While the byproduct is an artistic rock sculpture, the takeaway should be that unchecked erosion will have damage more than you can comprehend.
With these erosion examples, we hope to succinctly demonstrate why a lack of exterior waterproofing may actually lead to the need for foundation repair over time.
If you have unchecked erosion, your foundation may be exposed to the elements, which will most likely mean foundation repair in the future. Does your house currently have erosion control measures in place? Ask your erosion control experts for advice about the power of erosion and solutions for your property from BARRIER by calling (615) 257-1060 | (931) 536-1168 today.