Soil erosion at features like this can affect both the local and downstream environments.

Soil erosion is a major contributor to environmental health.  Erosion can degrade topsoil, destabilize slopes, and clog streambeds.  Over the years, many experiments have been done to get a handle on the processes that drive soil erosion.  A  1970 U.S. Geological Survey Report provides an example.  The researchers performed “177 flume experiments made in channels of different widths and water depths, the purpose being to find how the flume width and flow depth influence experimental results.”  They gathered the sediment in large collection boxes, which they then weighed with a platform scale.

For further information visit pubs.usgs.gov.

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