KindHarvest summary: A powerful May 2022 derecho pushed a wall of dust across southeastern South Dakota, making long-term topsoil loss dramatically visible. Scientists estimated that the storm may have removed one to two millimetres of soil from affected farmland, but the state lacked the monitoring network needed to measure where it went and how much was lost.
A measurement gap
The Sioux Falls air-quality sensor lost power as the storm arrived, while other regional sensors were outside the main dust cloud. Researchers also stressed that air-quality instruments are not designed to calculate field-scale soil loss. Without better monitoring, damage is often recognised only after many small erosion events have accumulated.
Why topsoil loss matters
Topsoil holds much of the organic matter, carbon and nitrogen that support crops, and it stores water more effectively than the subsoil below. The article cites research estimating that agricultural practices have removed about 35% of topsoil from the US Corn Belt, with lower yields producing billions of dollars in annual losses.
Field evidence and farm response
Tilled fields observed after the storm showed exposed subsoil, deposited strips of soil, eroded slopes and ponding. Farmer Carl Eliason reported that residue-protected no-till fields held their soil during strong winds while nearby tilled ground moved. He also cautioned that changing systems took several years and required gradual adaptation.
Related KindHarvest reading
For practical soil-health context, read Considerations for improving soil health.
Source and credit
This KindHarvest Team research brief is based on reporting by Dominik Dausch for the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, updated 3 June 2022. Read the full Argus Leader article.