Sheet erosion
Topic: Landforms and their Evolution: Rivers, Groundwater, Glaciers, Waves and Wind · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 1 "Resources and Development"; Class 11, Ch 6 "Landforms and their Evolution"
Meaning
Sheet erosion happens when rainwater flows over the land as a thin, even sheet. This kind of flow is called overland flow. It strips off a thin layer of topsoil at a time. Because the loss is even, people often do not notice it until much fertile soil has gone. Later, the flow gathers into small channels called rills. Rills grow into gullies, and gullies grow into valleys.
Example
In the Chambal valley of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the loss of topsoil over bare land was followed by gullying. This has left deep ravines, called badlands.
Don't confuse with
- Gully erosion: in gully erosion, water flows in narrow channels and cuts deep cuts into the land. In sheet erosion, water flows as a thin, even layer and removes soil evenly from the surface.
Related concepts
- Landform
- Cycle of erosion
- Youth stage
- Mature stage
- Old stage
- Peneplain
- Monadnock
- Lateral and vertical erosion