Studies of contemporary patterns of erosion in the glaciated and large
ly undisturbed Canadian landscape reveal spatial patterns that do not
conform to the conventional concepts of drainage basin sediment delive
ry. In particular stream and valley side sediment sources dominate ove
r erosion of the land surface, and specific (unit) sediment yield is o
ften positively, rather than inversely, related to drainage area. Much
of this is a legacy of glaciation that left large quantities of sedim
ent in the landscape and disrupted regional drainage patterns. The abs
ence of an integrated drainage network affects sediment delivery in ma
ny areas. To some extent unusual patterns of specific yield are to be
expected in large drainage basins where environmental and geologic con
ditions may vary considerably within the basin. Only in the agricultur
al areas of the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence valley do more conv
entional patterns of erosion occur. Applied studies related to agricul
tural soil erosion and pollution have helped to illuminate the pathway
s and sources of sediment in particular cases and show the effects of
landscape disturbance.