We can’t change anyone else’s land to keep the flood water from sweeping down the hill but we can change our land. We placed it high on the hill so it will drain down hill into our farm. We used tires to make a solid terrace with the extra dirt. The pond is sealed with the goat manure mulch and filled with fish. Fish eat mosquitoes and algae in the pond and we eat the fish.
This effectively stops the fast moving water as well as giving us a terrace to work and play on and fish to eat. Not only does this prevent erosion it catches the water and allows it to slowly percolate downhill providing water for months after the last rain event.
If I were to make it again I would have installed a pipe at the bottom of the pond that would run through the terrace to a faucet for our crops to be watered after the fish are harvested.
