Date: 01-08-2020

WRITE SHORT NOTE ON ( A ) BENCH TERRACES ( B ) CHECK DAMS ( C ) WATER

LOGGING ( D ) VEGETATED WATERWAY ( E ) AFFORESTION ( F ) CROP RESIDUE OR
FIELD RESIDUE ( G ) LAND DRAINAGE ( H ) SURFACE DRAINS ( I ) SUBSURFACE DRAINS
( J ) WATER HARVESTING ( K ) DETENTION BASIN ( L ) REQUIRMENTS OF SEEPAGE
CONTROL ( M ) DIFFERENT METHODS OF REDUCE THE EVAPORATION .

( A ) BENCH TERRACES :

BENCH TERACE ARE A SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION MEASURE USED ON SLOPING LAND
WITH RELATIVELY DEEP SOILS TO RETAIN WATER AND CONTROL EROSION . THEY ARE NORM
ALLY CONSTRUCTED BY CUTTING AND FILLING TO PRODUCE A SERIES OF LEVEL STEP OR
BENCHES . THIS ALLOWS WATER TO INFILTERATE SLOWLY INTO THE SOIL . BENCH TERRACE
ARE REINFORCED BY RETAINING BANKS OF SOIL OR STONE ON THE FORWARD EDGES . THIS
PRACTICE IS TYPICAL FOR RICE –BASED CROPPING SYSTEM . IN CHINA MODIFICATION OF
BENCH TERRACE INCLUDES AN INTERVAL SLOPE PLANTED WITH PERENIALS AND GRASSES
BETWEEN INDIVUDUAL TERRACES . THIS SYSTEM IS SUITABLE WHERE SOIL EROSION IS CRIT
ICAL , RAIN FALL IS LOW AND LABOUR AND FARM MANURE ARE NOT TYPICALLY AVAIL ABLE.
SHRUBES OR HURBS CAN ALSO BE GROWN ON THE EDGES OF THE TERRACES .

ADVANTAGES :

EFFECTIVELY CONTROL SOILS AND WATER RUNOFF AND EROSION . TRAPS SEDIMENT IN THE
DRAINAGE DITCHES BUILT ALONG TERRACE . REDUCES SLOPE LENGTH . EVERY 2-3 METERS OF
SLOPE LENGTH IS LEVELED TERRACE . THE VELOCITY OF WATER RUNNING DOWN THE SLOPE
IS GREATLY REDUCED . IMPROVES SOIL FERTILITY OVER THE LONG RUN . LIMITATIONS INITI
ALLY DISTRUBS , THE SOIL REDUCING PRODUCTIVITY IN THE FIRST 2-3 YEARS .NEEDS INTEN
SIVE LABOUR AND INVESTMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTANANCE . NEEDS SKILLS FOR
PROPER CONSTRUCTION . TERRACED FIELDS WITH AN INTERVAL SLOPE CONSUME MUCH
LAND . FACTORS AFFECTING ADOPTION . BIOPHYSICAL NOT SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW AND
SLIPPING UPLAND SOILS . NOT SUITABLE FOR POTATO-GROWING SINCE THE TERRACE TRENDS
TO BECOME WATERLOGGED . TERRACES WITH INTERVAL SLOPES CAN BE USED IN REGIONS
WITH LITTLE RAINFALL . SOCIOECONOMIC LABOUR SHORTAGE AND LOW INCOME MAKE
BENCH TERRACE DIFFICULT FOR FARMERS TO ADOPT IN SOME AREA . LACK OF SECURE LAND
TENURE SERVE AS DISINTENSIVE TO LONG TERM CONSTRUCTION MEASURES , SUCH AS
TERRACES . IN AREA WITH POOR SOILS , THE TERRACES HAVE A LOW RETURN ON INVESTMENT .

( B ) CHECK DAMS :

A CHECK DAM IS A SMALL , SOMETIME TEMPORARY , DAM CONSTRUCTED ACROSS A SWALE ,

DRAINAGE DITCH , OR WATER WAY TO COUNTERACT EROSION BY REDUCING WATER FLOW
VELOCITY . CHECK DAMS THEMSELVES ARE NOT A TYPE OF NEW TECHNOLOGY ; RATHER ,
THEY ARE AN ANCIENT TECHNIQUE DATING FROM THE SECOND CENTURY A.D. CHECK DAMS
ARE TYPICALLY , THOUGH NOT ALAWYS , IMPEMENTED IN A SYSTEM OF SEVERAL DAMS SITUA
TED AT REGULAR INTERVALS ACROSS THE AREA OF INTEREST .