SOIL CONSERVATION AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
CE 72506
Course Objectives:
To make students able to estimate the runoff and soil loss, design contour bunds, grassed waterways, terraces, drainage structures, gully control structures, small storage structures etc. and prepare watershed management plan.
- Introduction
(2 hours)
- Need of Soil and Water Conservation - Problems of Soil Erosion and Land Slides; Need of Soil and Water Conservation
- Concept and Approaches of Watershed Management - Concept of Management on Watershed Basis; Vegetative and Engineering Approaches
- Watershed Operations - Physiography; Rainfall-Runoff Analysis; Measures and Operations
- Runoff and Soil Loss
(5 hours)
- Soil and Water- Soil Characteristics (CoMposition, Profile, Texture and Structure); Infiltration and Soil Moisture Conditions; Surface Runoff and Ground Water; Mechanics of Erosion)
- Types of Soil Erosion and Land Slides - Surface Erosion; Gully Erosion; Stream Bank Erosion; Land Slides and Movement
- Runoff Computations - Rational Methods; Regional methods
- Soil Loss Computations - Soil Loss Factors; Universal Soil Loss Equation ( USLE)
- Land Capability for Watershed Management
(2 hours)
- Land Capability Classification (LCC)
- Characteristics of Land Capability
- Land Use and Soil Conservation Practices
- Agronomic Measures for Soil and Water Conservation
(4 hours)
- Contour Cultivation
- Strip Cropping
- Conservation Farming: Tillage Conservation; Crop Rotation; Multiple Cropping; Cover Crop
- Farm Yard Manure (FYM); Use of Micro irrigation Methods
- Grassland Farming
- Agro-Forestry
- Horticulture
- Engineering Measures for Conservation of Agriculture Land
(9 hours)
- Bunding - Types (Contour Bunding and Graded Bunding); Design Criteria and Specification of Bunding; Design of Contour and Graded Bunding; Construction and Maintenance of Bunding
- Terracing - Types (Bench Terraces and Broad Base Terraces); Design of Bench Terraces; Design of Broad Base Graded Terrace; Construction and Maintenance of Terraces
- Drainage Structures and Grassed Waterways - Types of Surplus Drainage Structures; Design of Surplus Weir and Pipe Outlets; Design of Grassed Waterways; Construction and Maintenance of Grassed Waterways
- Engineering Measures for Conservation of Non-Agriculture Land
(7 hours)
- Contour and Staggered Trenching
- Gully Control Structures: Types of Gully Control Structures; Temporary and Semi-Permanent Check Dams; Permanent Spillway Structures; Design of Straight Drop, Drop Inlet and Chute Spillways
- Sedimept Retention Structures
- Soil and Water Retaining Structures - Design of Water Retaining Structures
- Bio-Engineering for Soil and Water Conservation
(3 hours)
- Vegetative Conservation Techniques - Fascines; Palisades; Wattling; Bamboo Planting; Grass planting; Live Fencing; Brush Layering
- Natural Hazard Prevention - Gully Treatment; Land Slide Treatment; Stream Bank Protection; Degraded Land Rehabilitation
- Protection of Developed Infrastructure- Irrigation Channel Stabilization; Trail Improvements; Road Slope Stabilization; Water Source
- Water Conservation and Harvesting
(7 hours)
- Water Conservation for Cropland - Broad Bed and Furrow System (BBF); Conservation Bench Terraces (CBT); Tied Ridging or Furrow Damming; Contour Furrows; Catch Pits
- Small Storage Structures - Conservation Ponds; Small Weirs; Small Earthen Dams with Design; Sand Dams
- Recharge and Use of Ground Water
- Watershed Management
(6 hours)
- Causes and Consequences of Watershed Deterioration
- Objectives and Steps of Watershed Management
- People's Participation in Watershed Management
- Watershed Management Plan (WMP)
- Formulation of Project Proposal
Tutorial:
- Estimation of Soil Loss by USLE (2 hours)
- Design of Contour and Graded Bunding (2 hours)
- Design of Bench Terraces (1 hour)
- Design of Broad Base Graded Terrace (1 hour)
- Design of Surplus Weir and Pipe Outlets (2 hours)
- Design of Grassed Waterways (2 hours)
- Design of Straight Drop and Chute Spillway (2 hours)
- Design of Water Retaining Structure (2 hours)
- Design of Small Earthen Dam (1 hour)
Practical/Assignment:
Individual assignment on delineation of watershed boundary and preparation of Watershed Management Plan(WMP) (22.5 hours)
References:
- "Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Measures and Low Cost Techniques" NARMSAP NEPAL & Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management, Kathmandu.
- E.M. Tideman, "Watershed Management: Guidelines for Indian Conditions", Omega Scientific Publishers, New Delhi.
- R. Suresh, "Soil and Water Conservation Engineering", Standard Publishers Distributors, New Delhi.
Evaluation Scheme:
The questions will cover all the chapters in the syllabus. The evaluation scheme will be as indicated in the table below:
Chapter |
Hours |
Marks Distribution* |
1 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
4 |
5 |
5 |
9 |
20 |
6 |
7 |
15 |
7 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
7 |
10 |
9 |
6 |
5 |
Total |
45 |
80 |
*There could be minor deviation in mark distribution.