ROLE AND IMPORTANCE

OF
MECHANICAL MEASURES
IN
SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
IN AGRI. LANDS
By :- A. R. Sofi
Soil Conservation Officer
Agriculture Department
Kashmir (J&K)
 INTRODUCTION
Soil is the precious gift of nature to
mankind

 All the Plant family, Animal

kingdom and Human society at
large depend upon soil for their
sustenance directly or indirectly .

 Ironically , soil is the most

neglected commodity on the Earth

Shifting cultivation on the hill slopes, non
adoption of soil conservation techniques,
and over exploitation of land for crop
production due to population stress, leads to
enormous Soil Erosion.

 It will take hundreds of years to form an

inch of top fertile soil, but in no time it gets
washed away down the slope due to erosion.
 SOIL
The thin layer on the surface of
the Earth on which the living
beings of the earth survive
since it is the layer of materials
in which plants have their
roots, with large amount of
nutrients.
Soil erosion: An agricultural production challenge

Soil erosion is a gradual process that occurs when the

impact of water or wind detaches and removes soil
particles, causing the soil to deteriorate.

 Soil deterioration and low water quality due to erosion

and surface runoff have become severe problems
worldwide.
 The problem may become so severe that the
land can no longer be cultivated and must be
abandoned.
 Many agricultural civilizations have declined
due to land and natural resource mismanagement,
and the history of such civilizations is a good
reminder to protect our natural resources.
Soil erosion by water occurs when bare-sloped
soil surface is exposed to rainfall,

the rainfall intensity exceeds the rate of soil

intake, or infiltration rate, leading to soil-surface
runoff.
Soil erosion can occur in two stages:

 1) detachment of soil particles by raindrop impact,

splash, or flowing water;
and
 2) transport of detached particles by splash or flowing
water.

 Therefore, soil erosion is a physical process requiring

energy,
and
 its control requires certain measures to dissipate this
energy.
 Types of Erosion
 Sheet erosion (water)
is almost invisible.
Lighter coloured soils
are a sign that over the
years erosion has
taken its toll.
 Rill erosion:

occurs during heavy

rains, when small rills
form over an entire
hillside, making
farming difficult.

Rill erosion
Gully erosion makes gullies, some of them
huge, impossible to cross with farm machinery.
Ephemeral erosion occurs in natural
depressions. It differs from gully erosion in that
the area can be crossed by farm equipment.
 SOIL
CONSERVATION

 Soil Conservation is the process by

which the loss of soil is checked,
 reducing the velocity of run-off
through erosion control measures for
maximum sustained crop production
and for protection of human lift.
 So conservation of soil is essential
for sustenance of human life on the
earth.
DEFINITION

Soil conservation is set of management strategies

for prevention of soil being eroded from the
earth’s surface or becoming chemically altered by
overuse, salinisation, acidification, or other
chemical soil contamination.
OBJECTIVE OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION

 Enhancing and sustaining productivity of available land

stock for primary production systems of crop cultivation,
livestock rising and forest management.

• Generating additional employment opportunities and

income through secured livelihood in rural areas.

• Maintaining beneficial relationship between land and

water cycles
OBJECTIVE OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION …..
Contd.
• Retarding Watershed degradation caused by
deforestation, soil erosion, sedimentation, land
degradation and hydrologic deterioration of the
watersheds.

•Locating, reclaiming and developing Culturable

wastelands, fallows other than current fallows and
degraded lands to meet increasing and competing
demands for additional land stock for various sectors
IMPORTANCE OF SOIL CONSERVATION
Most people know that they need clean air and clean
water to stay healthy.

 Fewer people realize that their well-being also depends

on the health of the soil. Soil supports the growth of most
of our food and fibre,

 But soil also has a much broader, global role. Soil acts
as a filter, cleaning air and water.
 It exchanges gases with the atmosphere and thus
influences the global climate.

 Soil receives organic wastes and recycles their

nutrients back to plants;

 It (Soil) also holds and breaks down some toxic

wastes,

 we must conserve it and use it in a sustainable

manner.
DIFFERENT MEASURES FOR SOIL CONSERVATION

Mechanical Soil Conservation measures

Mechanical measures include various engineering techniques and
structure.
This practices aim at some objective as follows:

•To divide a long slope of land into a series of shorter ones in order
to reduce the velocity of run off water.

•To retain the water in the land for long period so as to allow
maximum water to be absorbed and held in the soil and less water
flows down the slope of the land at non-erosive velocity.

• To protect the soil against erosion by water.

Technological options for erosion management on newly cleared land
On steep slopes agronomic practices have got to be
supplemented by mechanical measures for effective
control of erosion, such as:
a) Contour bunding,
b) Graded bunding,
c) Bench Terracing,
d) Bunding and Levelling
e) Land modification (Zingg conservation bench
Terraces)
For Non – Agri. Lands:
•Staggered Contour trenches’
•Live Check dams,
•Silvi – Pastoral System,
•Live Fencing,
•Controlled Grazing, etc;
Runoff and Soil Loss under Intercropping:
Treatment Runoff Soil Loss
___________ (% of Rainfall) (Tones / ha.)

1) Maize alone 38.4% 17.5

2) Maize & Pulses (Moong) 13.1% 5.3

Source: CSWCRTI - Dehradun

 TERRACES FOR DIFFERENT OBJECTIVES

Objective Type of terrace

 
1.Level terraces for
irrigation
Soil Management 2. Bench terraces built in
a single operation
3.Progressive reduction
of slope
 Objective Type of terrace
  4.Absorb all rain,
Water 5. Absorb some rain with
Management emergency overflow
(contour bund)
  6.Controlled run-off
(graded bund / channel
terrace),
  7.Controlled reduced
run-off
-ridging, -tied ridging,
Objective Type of terrace
Crop 8.Intermittent terraces,
Management -orchard terrace,
-platforms
-hillside ditches,
Criteria for Land Levelling:
Land Levelling is influenced by following factors:-
Soil :
Its type, texture, structure and depth, etc;

•Climate:
•It takes into account the rainfall, evaporation,
temperature and wind velocity, etc;

•Crops to be grown:
•These effect the irrigation methods and give an idea
about the extent of levelling required,
•Methods of Irrigation:
•As per availability,

•Desire of farmers:

•It is essential to know the desire of farmers while

selecting the design standards based upon the amount
to be invested in levelling.
Steps involved in Levelling:

•Division of entire field in smaller units,

•Planning and surveying,

•Methods of levelling,

•Earth work calculations,

•Execution of levelling operation in the field, and

•Equipments and maintenance of work.

The important mechanical soil conservation measures
are as follows:
Contour bunding
 Contour bunding consists of
building earthen embankment at
intervals across the slope and along
the contour line of the field.

 A series of such bund divide the

area into strips and act as barrier to
the flow of water.(Runoff)
Contour bunding ….. Contd.
 As a result, the amount and velocity of run-
off are reduced, resulting reducing the soil
erosion.

Contour bunding is made on land where the

slope is not very steep and the soil is fairly
permeable.

Contour bunding works are carried out over

wide areas of state.
 Terracing

 A terrace is an embankment of ridge of

earth constructed across the slope to
control runoff and to minimize soil erosion.
 A terrace reduces the length of the hill
side slope, thereby reducing sheet and rill
erosion and prevents formation of gullies.

Land levelling for :-

1)Erosion Control, 2) Moisture Conservation, 3) Irrigation
and 4) Drainage.
 Different types of Terraces:

•Broad based ridge terrace: It consists of making

wide but low bunds on the contour lines by
excavating soils from both sides of terrace. This is
practiced in areas where the rainfall is relatively
low.

Contour trenching: It consist of making a series of

deep pit (i.e. 2ft. wide and 1ft. deep) or trenches
across the slope at convenient distance. The soil
excavated from the trenches is deposited on the
lower edge of the trenches where forest trees are
planted
•Channel terrace:
•It consists of making of wide but shallow channels across the
slope of the land either exactly on contour line or with a slight
grade (0.1 to 0.2 per cent). In this process, the excavated soil
is placed along the lower edge of the channel in the form of
low ridge. Also called Graded bund.
•Bench terracing:
•It consists of transforming relatively steeps land into a series
of level or nearly level strips or steeps running across the
slope. The soil materials that are excavated from the upper
part of the terrace is used in filling the lower part and a small
bund is also raised along the outer edge of the terrace to check
the downward flow of rainwater and also soil erosion.
•Narrow based terrace: It consists of making a number of
narrow based ridges or bunds at a distance of 1m to 2m across
the slope of the land at suitable intervals in high rainfall areas.
Table Top Bench Terracing for Paddy cultivation in hilly areas of
Kashmir - BANDIPORE
Ploughed Terraced agri. Land for paddy cultivation
IN KASHMIR – DISTRICT BANDIPORE
Gully Plugging – For Silt Control &
Rain water harvesting / Ground water Recharge:

•Rains have scoured away constantly at

earths surface and transported from place
to place and as such streams channels and
gullies have been carved out.

•On an average more than 70% rainfall is

lost as runoff (not utilized) carrying with
top fertile soil i.e; depletion of soil
(erosion) and deposition in low laying
areas incl. lakes, rivers reservoirs, etc;
 Due to the non – adoption of Soil &
Water conservation measures, the gullies
have been formed due to the traditional
farming practices practised by the
farmers.

•Therefore, taking into consideration the

magnitude of the problem the department
of Agriculture has come up with so many
number of project reports more
scientifically on micro watershed basis
duly approved by D.L.I.C in all the
districts.
Aims and Objectives:
The following are the main aims and objectives: -
•To reduce the velocity of runoff water by constructing some
engineering structures, i.e; check dams and protection walls at
different elevations of the Gully & nallah thereby protecting the
agri. Lands and to capture large soil particles.
•To prolong the life of trees on either side of the nallah.
•To enhance the chances for establishment of natural vegetation /
soil binders.
•To protect the lands which are otherwise sedimented by small
boulders and pebbles and pose grave problem during the
cultivation.
•To intercept runoff and moderate peak
flow and volume.
•To increase large absorption of available
rain water leading to all round
improvement of moisture conditions.
•To enhance ground water recharge and to
improve dry weather flow.
•To provide irrigation potential to mini –
commands.
•To intercept and reduce silt and thus
reduce sediment production into the
streams and finally into the reservoirs.
•To increase total production as well as
total resource for the entire area.
1. Rain water harvesting / Ground water Recharge:
The measures under this activity will help in collecting and
using rain water and in recharge of ground water on watershed
basis, viz; W. H. Tanks, Dugout out ponds and ground water
recharge pits with staggered contour trenches. These structures
will help in greater absorption of water on large areas and also
hold some in between dry spells.
2. Roof Water Harvesting:
The rain water from roof of houses on hill slopes accelerates
the runoff, thereby causing further soil erosion problems. It is
suggested to harvest the roof water at selected houses / points by
constructing low water harvest ponds. The water thus harvested
can be utilized for various purposes within the village when there
will be scarcity or can infiltrate into the soil and thus recharge the
ground water.
3. Contour Staggered Trenching:
Excavated trenches along a uniform level across of the slope of land in the
top portion of catchments. This activity will help to create more favourable
moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of the trees. These
trenches will also break the velocity of runoff. The rainwater percolates
through the soil slowly and travels down.
Benefits: the better type of land in the middle and lower sections of the
catchments. The contour trenches are excavated at suitable intervals
(depending upon the slope of the land).
 4. Gully Control Structures:

Structures to prevent encroachment of gully heads

upward. Gully erosion is an advanced stage of rill
erosion, while the later is an advanced stage of sheet
erosion. Stabilization of gullies through vegetation is a
difficult task when the gullies have to be used for
conveying runoff. In such cases mechanical measures
have to be adopted to prevent washing away the top
fertile soil and sediment flow down.
The mechanical structures such as RR dry stone masonry,
earthen dams using empty cement bags filled with earth shall
have be provided to convey the runoff over the critical portions
of the gully.

Initial Stage of sheet and rill erosion

View of gully erosion
Construction of Check dams:
In control of gullies, the erosive velocities will be reduced by
flattering out the steep, uniform gradient of the gully, by
constructing a series of check dams which transform the
longitudinal gradient into a series of steps with low risers and
long flat treads. This collects sufficient soil and water to enable
proper growth of vegetation and to check channel erosion and
recharge ground water.
To make the water to walk instead of run. Three types of check
dams are normally practicing depending upon the soil profile;
(i) Gabion structure check dams,
(ii) RR dry stone masonry check dams and
(iii) Earthen checks (using empty cement bags filled with earth.)
Gully plugging through stone filled check dams
(i) Gully plugging works
1. Construction of rock fill
dams
The rock fill dams are
constructed with locally
available stones and boulders
along the gullies or small
streams from ridge to valley
in all the catchments. These
are designed to retard the
flow of water. These will also
retain some quantity of
sediments and moisture,
which helps in establishing
vegetation.
Rock fill dams
(a) RR dry stone
masonry check dams:
These check dams are
made from boulders /
stones in the steep gullies
and drainage lines in such
a way that the top of one is
leveled with the bottom of
upper successive check
dam, so as to diminish
velocity of runoff and force
sediment deposition.
 Left : Series of Check dams in upper reaches,
Right: View of Check dams just above The Agri. Lands
(Thereby protecting the agri. Lands from silt, etc;)
(b) Earthen dams:
These check dams are
made from empty cement bags
filled with earth and placed in
dry in the bed of gully one over
another in alternate manner
along with ramming and
dressing. The soil should be
excavated at least 500 mts.
away through staggered
trenches and should match
with the soil profile of the gully
so that the earth get deposited
to stop the gully format. Gully plugging using Empty cement bags
filled with Earth
Arable Lands (Agri. Lans)
Gully Plugging with Vegetative Support in Upper Reaches using Empty Cement
bags filled with Earth
THANK YOU