Erosion is the wearing away of the land surface by running water, wind, ice, or other geological processes. Erosion can be accelerated and exaggerated by human activity when soils are disturbed through uncontrolled development, agricultural practices, grazing, and deforestation. Agricultural and construction site erosion cause siltation in waterways, which contributes to turbid conditions and poor water quality.

Erosion control activities can include setting general construction site guidelines such as timing of construction, staging areas, preservation of existing vegetation, clearing limits, stabilization of construction entrances, and erosion prevention on temporary and private roads. Other controls include mulching, installing geotextile, matting, using soil binders, topsoiling, seeding, sodding, planting, using pipe slope drains, roughening slopes, gradient terracing, and building retaining walls. Idaho's Catalog of Stormwater Best Management Practices for Idaho Cities and Counties has a full description of available best management practices to initiate erosion control.