SOIL CONSERVATION AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

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.

1. Introduction (2 hours)
1. Need of Soil and Water Conservation - Problems of Soil Erosion and Land Slides; Need of Soil and Water Conservation
2. Concept and Approaches of Watershed Management - Concept of Management on Watershed Basis; Vegetative and Engineering Approaches
3. Watershed Operations - Physiography; Rainfall-Runoff Analysis; Measures and Operations


2. Runoff and Soil Loss (5 hours)
1. Soil and Water- Soil Characteristics (CoMposition, Profile, Texture and Structure); Infiltration and Soil Moisture Conditions; Surface Runoff and Ground Water; Mechanics of Erosion)
2. Types of Soil Erosion and Land Slides - Surface Erosion; Gully Erosion; Stream Bank Erosion; Land Slides and Movement
3. Runoff Computations - Rational Methods; Regional methods
4. Soil Loss Computations - Soil Loss Factors; Universal Soil Loss Equation ( USLE)


3. Land Capability for Watershed Management (2 hours)
1. Land Capability Classification (LCC)
2. Characteristics of Land Capability
3. Land Use and Soil Conservation Practices


4. Agronomic Measures for Soil and Water Conservation (4 hours)
1. Contour Cultivation
2. Strip Cropping
3. Conservation Farming: Tillage Conservation; Crop Rotation; Multiple Cropping; Cover Crop
4. Farm Yard Manure (FYM); Use of Micro irrigation Methods
5. Grassland Farming
6. Agro-Forestry
7. Horticulture


5. Engineering Measures for Conservation of Agriculture Land (9 hours)
1. Bunding - Types (Contour Bunding and Graded Bunding); Design Criteria and Specification of Bunding; Design of Contour and Graded Bunding; Construction and Maintenance of Bunding
2. Terracing - Types (Bench Terraces and Broad Base Terraces); Design of Bench Terraces; Design of Broad Base Graded Terrace; Construction and Maintenance of Terraces
3. 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


6. Engineering Measures for Conservation of Non-Agriculture Land (7 hours)
1. Contour and Staggered Trenching
2. 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
3. Sedimept Retention Structures
4. Soil and Water Retaining Structures - Design of Water Retaining Structures


7. Bio-Engineering for Soil and Water Conservation (3 hours)
1. Vegetative Conservation Techniques - Fascines; Palisades; Wattling; Bamboo Planting; Grass planting; Live Fencing; Brush Layering
2. Natural Hazard Prevention - Gully Treatment; Land Slide Treatment; Stream Bank Protection; Degraded Land Rehabilitation
3. Protection of Developed Infrastructure- Irrigation Channel Stabilization; Trail Improvements; Road Slope Stabilization; Water Source


8. Water Conservation and Harvesting (7 hours)
1. Water Conservation for Cropland - Broad Bed and Furrow System (BBF); Conservation Bench Terraces (CBT); Tied Ridging or Furrow Damming; Contour Furrows; Catch Pits
2. Small Storage Structures - Conservation Ponds; Small Weirs; Small Earthen Dams with Design; Sand Dams
3. Recharge and Use of Ground Water


9. Watershed Management (6 hours)
1. Causes and Consequences of Watershed Deterioration
2. Objectives and Steps of Watershed Management
3. People's Participation in Watershed Management
4. Watershed Management Plan (WMP)
5. Formulation of Project Proposal

Tutorial:

1. Estimation of Soil Loss by USLE (2 hours)
2. Design of Contour and Graded Bunding (2 hours)
3. Design of Bench Terraces (1 hour)
4. Design of Broad Base Graded Terrace (1 hour)
5. Design of Surplus Weir and Pipe Outlets (2 hours)
6. Design of Grassed Waterways (2 hours)
7. Design of Straight Drop and Chute Spillway (2 hours)
8. Design of Water Retaining Structure (2 hours)
9. 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:

1. "Soil Conservation and Watershed Management Measures and Low Cost Techniques" NARMSAP NEPAL & Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management, Kathmandu.
2. E.M. Tideman, "Watershed Management: Guidelines for Indian Conditions", Omega Scientific Publishers, New Delhi.
3. 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:

*There could be minor deviation in mark distribution.