DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:

Soil and water are limited resources that are available for agriculture. Conservation of soil and water resources is important for sustainability of agriculture and environment. Soil and water resources are under immense pressure due to ever increasing population thereby ensuing growing demand for food, fiber and shelter. Soil and water resources are being deteriorated due to different anthropogenic and natural factors. Soil erosion is one of the several major deteriorative processes which results in deterioration of the soil. Soil erosion is removal of soil due to movement of water and/or air. Soil erosion may lead to the significant loss of soil productivity and thus may lead to the desertification under sever conditions. Water and wind are the major agencies which are responsible of soil erosion. Deforestation, over-grazing, intensive cultivation, mismanagement of cultivated soils and intensive urbanization are major factors triggering the soil erosion. For sustainable agriculture and environment, it is pertinent to protect the soil resources against erosion. Different control measures should be adopted to protect the soil resources against erosion. The concept of soil conservation cannot be materialized without conserving and efficient use of water resources. It is therefore pre-requisite that soil conservation practices should be adopted. Soil conservation practice include soil management, crop management, engineering, range management and forestry operations. In this course students will learn various ways means of soil and water losses and how these losses can be decreased with various strategies for their conservation.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:

After learning this course students will be able to know the importance of soil and water conservation and suitable measures to conserve soil and water. Various techniques of soil and water conservation will be introduced. Various types of soil erosions, water erosions and gravity erosions will be demonstrated. Students will be able to know various approaches (mechanical, engineering and bioengineering) of controlling soil and water erosion.

COURSE CONTENTS:
Theory
1. Soil erosion, description, types and impact on environment
2. Water and wind erosion forms, causes and damages
3. Gravity erosion and land slides
4. Erosion predication, modified universal soil loss equation, wind erosion eqution
5. Erosion control and management agronomic, engineering and bio engineering practices
6. Hydrological cycle and components
7. Soil conservation and management practices and water harvesting techniques
8. Strategies for soil, water and environmental conversation
9. Socio-economic issues of soil and water conversation

READINGS:

1. Bhushan, L.S., I.P. Abrom, and M.S.R.M. Rao. 1998 soil and water Conservation: Challenges and Opportunities. Vol. 1 & 2 A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. 2. Ehlers, W. and G. Michael. 2003. Water Dynamics in Plant Production CAB Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 3. Morgan, R.P.C. 2005. Soil Erosion and conservation. 3rd Ed. Longman Group Ltd., Essex, UK. 4. Unger, P.W. 2006. Soil and water Conservation Handbook. Policies, practices, Conditions and Terms. Haworth Food and Agriculture Products Press, NY, USA. 5. Fangmeier, D.D., W.J. Elliot and S.R. Workman. 2006. Soil and Water Conservation Engineering. 5 th Ed. Thomson Delmar Learning, NY, USA.