Big solar farms may be stressing agricultural ecosystem Part V of V

By DAN WAY

​Frequent mowing to control vegetation can make soil more compact, and more resistant to absorbing water. Wider buffering around the site can offset much of that runoff. Putting in a subsoil also would help, but that can’t be done until the solar panels are removed at the end of their useful life, and cost to do so would be an issue.
Heiniger said some solar installations were placed above lakes or ponds, which become infiltrated with runoff. If runoff occurs in sufficient volume, spillways of overwhelmed ponds could be threatened.
“Right now we’re just locating them next to the power substations,” Heiniger said. He has been telling the solar industry scientific land use research is needed to determine best siting practices. “We’ve at least got a dialogue started.” source ​