This Standard is intended as a guide to engineers and technicians for the design, layout, construction and maintenance of terrace systems on cropland. Terraces are earth embankments and channels constructed across the crop field slope at suitable spacing and with acceptable grades to reduce soil erosion and trap sediment, and/or to retain moisture for crop use.This Standard applies where sheet and rill or gully erosion is a problem, or there is a need to manage runoff leaving a site. The soils and site conditions must be suitable to build an earth embankment. The site must provide an adequate outlet.
Terraces alone may not provide adequate control of erosion and runoff on sloping lands. Used in combination with water and sediment control basins, diversions, contouring, conservation cropping systems, conservation tillage, crop residue management, and/or permanent vegetation, they can be part of a resource management system to protect the soil and water resource base. 2
