Economic Costs of Wind Erosion in the United States

Environmental Engineering Engineering Atmospheric Science Earth Sciences Environmental and Public Health Medicine
wind erosion economic costs climate change health impacts renewable energy transportation agricultural loss

Wind erosion and the resulting dust issues have profound impacts on the environment and human society. Since the 1990s, despite significant changes in climate and socioeconomic conditions, the United States has not conducted a comprehensive assessment of the economic costs of wind erosion. In recent years, with global warming, increasing droughts, and the widespread use of renewable energy, the problems caused by wind erosion and dust have become more prominent. For example, increased dust activity and a surge in Valley Fever infections highlight the urgency of reassessing the economic costs of wind erosion. Wind erosion not only causes direct losses to economic sectors such as agriculture, transportation, and energy but also indirectly increases societal burdens by affecting human health and ecosystem services. Therefore, this study aims to provide a modern baseline assessment of the economic costs of wind erosion in the United States by integrating existing research and calculating emerging costs, offering a scientific basis for policy-making and resource allocation.

Source of the Paper

This paper was co-authored by Irene Y. Feng, Thomas E. Gill, R. Scott Van Pelt, Nicholas P. Webb, and Daniel Q. Tong. The authors are affiliated with institutions such as George Mason University, the University of Texas at El Paso, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service. The paper was published in March 2025 in the journal Nature Sustainability, with the DOI 10.1038/s41893-024-01506-4.

Research Process

1. Data Collection and Cost Estimation Methods

The study first collected multi-domain data related to wind erosion, including agriculture, households, human health, transportation, renewable energy, and dust hotspot mitigation. Data sources included government agencies (e.g., the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and published academic research. To ensure data reliability and representativeness, the study prioritized the latest, most comprehensive, and quantifiable research. All costs were adjusted to 2017 U.S. dollars, as 2017 was the year with the most comprehensive and representative data.

2. Cost Estimation by Sector

The study detailed the cost estimation for each sector using the following methods:

a) Agricultural Costs

Agricultural costs mainly include the loss of soil nutrients and moisture, as well as crop damage caused by wind erosion. The study used the following formula to calculate agricultural costs:

Agricultural Cost = Inflation Factor × (Total Farmland Area × Unit Area Cost × Wind Erosion Ratio)

Here, unit area costs include the replacement costs of water and nutrients, and the wind erosion ratio was determined using the National Resources Inventory (NRI) report. The final estimate showed that the annual loss to U.S. agriculture due to wind erosion in 2017 was approximately $9.6 billion.

b) Household Costs

Household costs mainly include cleaning, exterior painting, landscaping, and laundry expenses. The study used the following formula to calculate household costs:

Household Cost = Inflation Factor × (Number of Households in Low Erosion States × Low Erosion Cost + Number of Households in Moderate Erosion States × Moderate Erosion Cost + Number of Households in High Erosion States × High Erosion Cost)

The final estimate showed that the annual loss to U.S. households due to wind erosion in 2017 was approximately $40 billion.

c) Human Health Costs

Health costs mainly include premature deaths due to dust exposure and the treatment costs of Valley Fever infections. The study used the following formula to calculate health costs:

Health Cost = Inflation Factor × (Number of Deaths × Value of a Statistical Life + Number of Valley Fever Cases × Cost per Case)

The final estimate showed that the annual health costs in the U.S. due to wind erosion in 2017 were approximately $97.5 billion.

d) Transportation Costs

Transportation costs mainly include traffic accidents caused by dust and related expenses. The study used the following formula to calculate transportation costs:

Transportation Cost = Inflation Factor × (Number of Traffic Accidents × Cost per Accident)

The final estimate showed that the annual loss to the U.S. transportation sector due to wind erosion in 2017 was approximately $280 million.

e) Renewable Energy Costs

Renewable energy costs mainly include efficiency losses in photovoltaic and wind power generation due to dust. The study used the following formulas to calculate renewable energy costs:

Photovoltaic Energy Loss Cost = Unit Electricity Price × Energy Generation × Efficiency Loss Ratio / (1 - Efficiency Loss Ratio)
Wind Energy Loss Cost = Unit Electricity Price × Energy Generation × Efficiency Loss Ratio / (1 - Efficiency Loss Ratio)

The final estimate showed that the annual losses to U.S. photovoltaic and wind power generation due to wind erosion in 2017 were $169 million and $3.87 billion, respectively.

f) Dust Hotspot Mitigation Costs

Mitigation costs mainly include the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) spending on wind erosion mitigation on farmland and the mitigation costs of specific dust hotspots. The final estimate showed that the total mitigation spending in the U.S. due to wind erosion in 2017 was $260 million.

3. Comprehensive Cost Estimation

By integrating the costs from the above sectors, the study estimated that the total economic cost of wind erosion and its resulting dust issues in the U.S. in 2017 was approximately $154.4 billion. This estimate is conservative, as many potential costs (e.g., ecosystem service losses, non-renewable energy development-related costs) were not included.

Key Findings

  1. Agricultural Loss: The annual loss to agriculture due to wind erosion in 2017 was approximately $9.6 billion, mainly due to the loss of soil nutrients and moisture.
  2. Household Loss: The annual loss to households due to wind erosion was approximately $40 billion, covering cleaning, exterior painting, landscaping, and other expenses.
  3. Health Loss: The annual health costs due to wind erosion were approximately $97.5 billion, including premature deaths and treatment costs for Valley Fever infections.
  4. Transportation Loss: The annual loss to the transportation sector due to wind erosion was approximately $280 million, mainly due to dust-related traffic accidents.
  5. Renewable Energy Loss: The annual losses to photovoltaic and wind power generation due to wind erosion were $169 million and $3.87 billion, respectively.
  6. Mitigation Costs: The total mitigation spending in the U.S. due to wind erosion in 2017 was $260 million.

Conclusions and Significance

This study is the first to comprehensively assess the economic costs of wind erosion and its resulting dust issues under modern socioeconomic conditions in the U.S., revealing the profound impact of wind erosion on various sectors of society. The results show that the economic burden of wind erosion far exceeds previous estimates, even surpassing most “billion-dollar” natural disasters (e.g., droughts, floods). This finding underscores the importance of investing in wind erosion mitigation and dust control and calls on policymakers to prioritize soil conservation and sustainable land use practices.

Highlights of the Study

  1. Comprehensiveness: This study is the first to integrate data from multiple sectors, including agriculture, households, health, transportation, renewable energy, and mitigation, providing a comprehensive assessment of the economic costs of wind erosion.
  2. Modern Baseline: Using 2017 as the baseline year, the study reflects the latest changes in climate and socioeconomic conditions.
  3. Policy Implications: The study results provide a scientific basis for formulating wind erosion mitigation and dust control policies, offering significant practical value.

Additional Valuable Information

The study also points out that future research is needed to further explore the links between wind erosion, climate change, and ecosystem changes to more comprehensively assess the environmental and economic impacts of wind erosion. Additionally, the study calls for enhanced soil erosion monitoring and the development of predictive models to support decision-making frameworks based on land potential and ecological state changes.