1. Intro to Soil and Water Conservation Flashcards
Application of engineering and biological principles to the solution of soil and water management problems
Soil and Water Conservation Engineering
Implies utilization without wastes-continuous high level of crop production while improving environmental quality
Conservation
Engineering problems in soil and water conservation:
Erosion Control
Drainage
Irrigation
Flood Control
Water resources development and conservation
is based on full integration of engineering, atmospheric, plant and soil sciences
sound soil and water conservation
Engineers in SWC
Sound SWC is based on full integration of engineering, atmospheric, plant and soil sciences
Soil physical, chemical and engineering characteristics
Soil-plant-water-environmental interactions
Creation of proper environment for optimum plant and animal production
Rural-urban interface; air and water pollution
Social and economic aspect; local and national government policies, laws and regulations
Ground and satellite mapping techniques (GIS), weather record and prediction, soil survey reports, computer
Numerical simulations (modeling)
is one major cause of water pollution
soil erosion
Conservation Ethics
Increasing population will dictate the necessity of conserving land and water resources
Decreasing population of wildlife, extinction of species-air and water pollution, loss of habitat
Soil erosion is one major cause of water pollution
Conversion of prime farmlands to urban development
Natural resources should be passed on to future generations in as good or better condition than previous generations have left them
Growing trend of conservation (government incentives, private sector-led, short and long term economic benefits)
Recycling of paper, glass, metals, etc.
Waste segregation; plastic ban
Increasing costs of waste disposal
accounts for between 60-80% of total water use
Agriculture
About ___ of the water for irrigation was not available for crops
40%
Losses include ____
conveyance, seepage, percolation, evaporation and transpiration
In _____, soil water is conserved by modified tillage and crop management techniques
water-short areas
other physical means of retaining rainfall in the soil and reducing evapotranspiration
Level terracing, contouring, pitting, reservoirs
has been generally regarded as inexhaustible
water
Total Land Area of PH
30 m ha
Alienable and disposable:
14.2 m ha