Dispersion is a process that occurs in soils that are particularly vulnerable to erosion by water. In soil layers where clays are saturated with sodium ions ("sodic soils"), soil can break down very easily into fine particles and wash away. This can lead to a variety of soil and water quality problems, including:
* large soil losses by gully erosion and tunnel erosion
* Soil structural degradation, clogging and sealing where dispersed particles settle
* Suspended soil causing turbidity in water and transporting nutrients off the land.