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Story: Soil erosion and conservation

Graded banks

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Graded banks

Graded banks have a similar role to pasture furrows. However, they form larger channels across a slope, are more widely spaced and carry more water during rainstorms. Their advantage is that they are less of a nuisance for farm work, although in permanent pasture this is not a major issue. This graded bank in Northland leads run-off water into a forested waterway.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AANR 6329 41 K9,346

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Paul Gregg, Soil erosion and conservation – Mechanical control of erosion, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/19815/graded-banks (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Paul Gregg, published 1 March 2009.