This document discusses soil erosion, its causes, impacts, and methods for control. It defines soil erosion as the detachment, transport, and deposition of soil particles from land surfaces. Some key points: - Soil erosion reduces soil quality and agricultural productivity on-site, and causes siltation of water bodies off-site. - Factors that influence erosion include rainfall/climate, soil type, slope, vegetation cover, and human activities like farming. - Erosion processes include splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion. - Methods for controlling erosion include agronomic measures like contour cultivation, cover cropping, and mulching, as well as engineering

1. SOIL EROSION AND ITS CONTROL FOR
MAINTAINING SOIL HEALTH
Rashmi Ranjan Barik
PROGRAMME OFFICER-NRM, OPELIP, ODISHA

2. Introduction to Soil Erosion
Definition :
Soil erosion is the detachment, transport & deposition of soil particle
on land surface - termed as loss of soil.
Measured as mass /unit area - tonne/ha or Kg/sq.m
Soil loss is of interest primarily On -site effect of erosion
such as loss of crop productivity
Off site effect of erosion are siltation in ditches, streams ,
reservoirs
Sediment generated by erosion processes are prime carrier
of agricultural chemicals that pollutes stream or lakes

3. Soil Erosion Problem
Soil is the most precious gift of nature –Prime resource -for
food, fodder etc. -Soil mismanaged -less productivity.
 In India, more than 100 million hectares -soil degraded
eroded unproductive
About 17 tones/ha soil detached annually->20% of this is
transported by river to sea -10% deposited in reservoir
results 1 to 2% loss off storage capacity.
Soil erosion deteriorates soil quality & reduces productivity
of natural, agricultural & forest ecosystem
 Soil erosion deteriorates quality of water
Increased sedimentation causes reduction of carrying
capacity of water bodies

4. Factors Affecting Erosion

5. Human Causes

6. Natural Causes

7. Striking Factors

8. Degenerating Forces

9. Factors Affecting Erosion
Erosion is directly proportional to square root of length of slope

10. Mechanics of Erosion
Begins with raindrops striking bare soil dislodging
particles
 Intense rains seal surface
When rainfall exceeds infiltration water is stored in small
depressions
Once depressions are filled, runoff begins
Initially water flows in a discontinuous sheet
Eventually it concentrates into small channels or rills
The runoff now has energy to break off particles and cut
deeper
The amount of erosion caused by sheet and rill erosion
increases with slope and distance
Rills may eventually form gullies

11. Soil Erosion Parameters
Soil erosion – function of:
Erosivity – ability to erode : depends on rainfall
Erodibility – Resistance offered to restrict
erosion (property of soil)
Topography – property of land
Management – contributed by man
 Erodibility: Detachability & transportability
Topography: Slope, length, relation to other land
Management: Land use & crop management

12. Types of Soil Erosion
Geological erosion, Natural erosion & Erosion from
activities of human & animals
Geological erosion: -Soil forming and
distribution-Long time process
Human and animal: Tillage, removal of plants
and Tillage, removal of plants and other
vegetation- accelerated erosion
Stream bank erosion
Landslide, Volcanic eruption, flooding
Water and wind: major factors of soil erosion

13. Soil Erosion Processes

14. Types of surface erosion

15. Splash Erosion Sheet Erosion Rill Erosion
Gully Erosion Stream bank Erosion

16. Types of erosion

17. Principle of Soil and Moisture Conservation
Ridge to valley treatment
Maximum possible rain water should be conserved where
it falls
Adequate vegetal cover during rainy season
Storage/ disposal of excess water with safe velocity
Checks/ barriers along the contour to control soil erosion
& ground water recharge
Integration of biological and mechanical measures

19. Soil Conservation

20. Agronomic Measures

21. Agronomic Measures

23. Contour cultivation

24. Vegetative Barrier
For Sloppy Land For Gully Treatment

25. Strip cropping

26. Grass waterway
To allow water to flow
In non-erosive velocity
and helps in safe diposal
of excess water

27. Aforestation

28. Cover Cropping

29. Mulching
Sugarcane trash mulching
Mulching in mango
Mulching in maize

30. Conservation Ditches

31. Agri-horti System ( Mango + G.Nut)

32. Agri-horti System

33. Agri-silviculture
(A.mangium + sesame)

34. Silvi - Pastoral system
(A.mangium + guinea grass)
Horti-Pastoral System
(Banana + Grass)

35. Horti - Pastoral system

36. Horti-silvi-pastoral system
(Guava + sissoo + stylo)

37. Important principles for planning engineering measures
Intercepting the rain before it reaches ground surface,
dissipate the kinetic energy to reduce detachment of soil
particle.
Increasing time of concentration of run off and there by
allowing more water to be absorbed and held by soil.
Reduce the run off volume and run off velocity
Protection against damage due to excess run off
Trapping silt particle during its flow path.

38. Interventions
Vegetative cover prevent rain drop to strike ground surface
directly as well reduce its energy.
Intercepting long slope into several short ones so as to
restrict the run off velocity with in critical limit.
Bunding breaks the slope length, terracing breaks the degree
of slope which increase the time of concentration.
Trenches, check dams, earthen cross bunds, gabion
structure, etc. store part of run off there by reducing run off
volume and velocity and protect against the damage caused
due to excess run off and facilitate GW recharge.
Gully control measures are constructed especially to prevent
further increase in gully size (both horizontally and
vertically) and to stabilize it to allow vegetation to grow.
Finally utilization of excess water through check dams,
diversion weirs, ponds, WHSs, wells for crop production.

39. Distinct Features Purpose Technological options for development
 Situated above Berna
land having 8% -25%
slope, unlevelled.
 Soil depth is up to 0.30
m and rain fed cereals,
pulses and oilseeds along
with rainy vegetables are
usually cultivated.
 Soil erosion and
nutrient loss possessions
problems.
 Safe disposal of
run-off water.
 Breaking the length of
slope.
 Retain a part of run-
off.
 Make the land suitable
for tree plantation.
 Gully stabilization
 Option in varying slope
 Diversion drain/ Grass water way
 Terracing (Level/Inward/Outward)
 Continuous contour canal
 Trenching (CCT/ ST/WAT)
 Contour Bunding/ Graded Bunding /
Stone Bunding
 Percolation Tank
 Gully control works (Semi Permanent)
 Gully Control works (Permanent)
 Sunken Gully Pit
Treatment options for different types of lands- Aat land (Up land)

40. Treatment option in varying slope

41. Grass waterways

42. Terracing

43. Grassed Waterways Diversion Drain
Continuous contour canal

44. Continuous Contour Trenches

45. Staggered Trench

46. Water Absorption Trench (WAT)

47. Slope
Contour Bunding

48. Contour Stone Bunding

49. Percolation Tank in upper reach

50. Sunken Gully Pit

51. Permanent GC Structures

52. Semi permanent Gully Control Structure

53. Distinct features Purpose Technological options for development
 Situated above Bahal
(low land) with mild
slopeof 2% to 8%
 Under levelled and
irrigation situation two
crops are assured
 Paddy with short &
medium duration are
usually cultivated
 Erosion takes place
due to over flow of runoff
water from near by areas
 To break the
slope length
 Conserve
max. water for
crop production.
 Drainage
development.
 Silt detention.
Field Bunding with outlets.
 Dev. of Drainage Course
Diversion Weir / Retention Weir.
Check dams (Masonry/ Gabion /
Low Cost Multiple Arch Type CD)
Water Harvesting Structure(WHS)
 Run-off Management Structure
Treatment options for different types of lands- Berna (medium land)

54. Field Bunding

55. Development of drainage course

56. Diversion Weir

57. 
Retention weir/ Wall
Retention Weir Retention Wall

58. Masonry check dam

59. Gabion Structure

60. Masonry Multiple Arch Type Check Dam

61. Water Harvesting Structure

62. Run off management Structure

63. 
Slope
Contour bunding

64. Distinct features Technological options for development
* Developed from stream bed
where water flows regularly.
Jholla land comes under this
category.
* Due to retention nature of
soil moisture and continuous
flow, two crops of paddy are
usually taken
* Drainage development
* Stone packing of bunds
* Farm Pond and Storage Structure
•Provision of spillways/Drop Str.
•Increase in water utilization efficiency
through low cost technology
Treatment options for different types of lands- Bahal (low land)

65. Drainage Development

66. Water Storage structures

67. Farm Pond in lower reaches

68. Provision of spillway/drop structure in lower reaches
Drop Structure Drop Structure with silt trap

69. Stone Packing of Bunds

70. Increasing water utilization efficiency through low cost device
Micro irrigation pressure pump
Micro irrigation bucket Low cost portable KB pump
Rope washer pump

71. Thank U