CALEDONIA — Bob Grove has farmed land in Caledonia his entire life, and erosion has been one of his biggest challenges.
"Erosion is taking all your top soil and putting it in the Root River, and ultimately Lake Michigan," Grove said.
When heavy rains hit, flowing water can take top soil with it.
"The more rolling the land, the more erosion is going to be prevalent," Grove said.
Between Aug. 9 and 10, 2025, Grove's farm received about 5 inches of rain in six to seven hours. But just one day before those storms arrived, installation of a water management system had been completed on his and his neighbors' properties.
Part of the system is called a Water and Sediment Control Basin, or WASCOB. It collects water in a basin and releases it through an underground tile, slowing the flow instead of allowing it to rush over the soil.
"The water collects and goes slow instead of rushing over the top of the soil and causing erosion," Grove said.
Grove said five WASCOBs were installed across multiple properties. Including tiling, the project spans about a mile.
"This project here involves about 350 acres of drainage," Grove said.
The system involving Grove's land ultimately releases into the Root River.
"I like to see the Root River clean, and I like to see Lake Michigan clean, but also I like soil health," Grove said.
The project required the cooperation of three landowners, and utilized federal, state, county and individual funding.
Grove said it was a long-term project that took years to come to fruition, and the timing proved fortuitous.
"It did not allow a major river to go through the crops, because the water was contained and released slowly," Grove said.
Grove says the project continued to prove its value this year.
"Yes, I saw a benefit in April when we had almost 10 inches of rain for a month here. That really prevented a lot of erosion," Grove said.
For more information about land and water management resources in Racine County, head to www.racinecounty.gov.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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