Syllabus - Soil & Water Conservation Engineering (AT602)

Agriculture Technology

Soil & Water Conservation Engineering (AT602)

VI

Unit I

Soil erosion - Introduction, causes and types - geological and accelerated erosion, agents, factors affecting and effects of erosion. Water erosion - Mechanics and forms - splash, sheet, rill, gully, ravine and stream bank erosion. Gullies - Classification, stages of development.

Unit II

Soil loss estimation – Universal soil loss equation (USLE) and modified USLE. Rainfall erosivity - estimation by KE>25 and EI30 methods. Soil erodibility - topography, crop management and conservation practice factors.

Unit III

Measurement of soil erosion - Runoff plots, soil samplers. Water erosion control measures - agronomical measures - contour farming, strip cropping, conservation tillage and mulching. Engineering measures– Bunds and terraces. Bunds - contour and graded bunds - design. Terraces - level and graded broad base terraces, bench terraces - planning, design and layout procedure, contour stonewall and trenching.

Unit IV

Gully and ravine reclamation - principles of gully control - vegetative measures, temporary structures and diversion drains. Grassed waterways and design.

Unit V

Wind erosion- Factors affecting, mechanics, soil loss estimation and control measures - vegetative, mechanical measures, wind breaks and shelter belts and stabilization of sand dunes. Land capability classification. Rate of sedimentation, silt monitoring and storage loss in tanks.

Course Objective

Understanding the Soil and Water conservation processes including agronomical and engineering measures.

Practicals

  • Study of different types and forms of water erosion.

  • Exercises on computation of rainfall erosivity index.

  • Exercises on soil loss estimation/measuring techniques.

  • Estimation of sediment rate using Coshocton wheel sampler and multi-slot devisor.

  • Determination of sediment concentration through oven dry method.

  • Design and layout of contour bunds.

  • Design and layout of graded bunds.

  • Design and layout of broad base terraces.

  • Design and layout of bench terraces.

  • Design of vegetative waterways.

  • Exercises on rate of sedimentation and storage loss in tanks.

  • Computation of soil loss by wind erosion.

  • Design of shelterbelts and wind breaks for wind erosion control.

  • Visit to soil erosion sites and watershed project areas for studying erosion control and water conservation measures.

Reference Books

  • Gurmel, C. Venkataraman, G. Sastry and B.P. Joshi. 1996. Manual of Soil and Water Conservation Practices. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.

  • Mahnot, S.C. 2014. Soil and Water Conservation and Watershed Management. International Books and Periodicals Supply Service, New Delhi.

  • Mal, B.C. 2014. Introduction to Soil and Water Conservation Engineering. 2014. Kalyani Publishers.

  • Michael, A.M. and T.P. Ojha. 2003. Principles of Agricultural Engineering. Volume II. 4th Edition, Jain Brothers, New Delhi.

  • Murthy, V.V.N. 2002. Land and Water Management Engineering. 4th Edition, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

  • Norman Hudson. 1985. Soil Conservation. Cornell University Press, Ithaka, New York, USA.

  • Frevert, R.K., G.O. Schwab, T.W. Edminster and K.K. Barnes. 2009. Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, 4th Edition, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Suresh, R. 2014. Soil and Water Conservation Engineering. Standard Publisher Distributors, New Delhi.