In-Situ Moisture Conservation Principle and Practices

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HARVESTING RAIN WATER
Rain water is the natural form of available and dependable fresh water
source and any future use of fresh water could be planned only from
harvested rain water.
When the rain water is harvested within few metres of its occurrence,
it is called as in-situ rain water harvesting.
If the excess rain water or runoff is diverted and collected after few
hundred metre distance of its occurrence by constructing suitable structures,
it is called as ex-situ rain water harvesting.
IN-SITU CONSERVATION
The contour cultivation is the simplest method of

in-situ conservation where each furrow will act as
miniature reservoir to hold rain water.
The other methods ...
 Contour cultivation  Contour bunding

 Contour wash stops  Graded bunding
 Stubble mulching  Conservation Ditching
 Broad beds and furrows  Contour trench
 Random tie ridging  Graded trenching
CONTOUR CULTIVATION
This is nothing but the practice of ploughing, planting and
cultivating across the slope mostly along the contour line.
 This practice of cultivation prevents the excess rain water
from flowing freely and rapidly down the slope and eroding the
soil particles badly.
 Every furrow acts as a miniature reservoir to hold the excess
run off and supply back to the crops.
 This method of contour cultivation will be effective on lands
with mild slope only (i.e. less than 2%).
CONTOUR WASH STOPS
 This practice consists of providing thick rows of closely

established tall growing or hedge plants along contour lines at
regular intervals according to the nature of slope, rain fall and
other conditions.
 varying from 15 m to 45 m horizontal or 1.2. m to 1.5 m
vertical intervals
 Properly established wash stops at suitable intervals will not
only afford effective resistance to flowing run off and retard
the velocity of flow, but also screen off the silt washed down.
STUBBLE MULCHING
Stubble mulching is a crop and soil management practice

that utilizes the residues of the preceding crop by leaving a
large percentage of this vegetative residue on or near surface
of the ground.
BROAD BEDS AND FURROWS
The broad bed and furrow system

combines an element of erosion control MAIZE CROP
(all dimensions in cm)
with surface drainage.
Normal bed width adopted is 150 cm

with 30 cm wide furrows at the end of the SORGHUM OR MILLET CROP
beds.
The broad beds and furrows have GROUNDNUT OR CHICKPEA CROP

been found to be suitable for managing
the deep black soils
PIDEONPEA/SORGHUM INTERCOP
In INDIA where surface drainage OR PIGEONPEA MAIZE INTRECROP
during the monsoon period is a problem .

BED AND FURROW SYSTEM
RANDOM TIE RIDGING
♦ Tied ridging consists of covering the land surface with

closely spaced ridges in two directions at right angles so
that a series of small rectangular basins are formed.
♦ Tied ridging is found to be successful on permeable soils
rather than on shallow soils.
♦ It is also advisable to back up the system with other
measures like terraces or ground bunds.
CONTOUR BUNDING
i. High rise bund built on contour with +30 cm v.I.
ii. Suitable for permeable soils
iii. Suitable for land slope of < 6%
iv. Aimed at storing rain water above the bund
v. Suitable for <600 mm annual rain fall area
GRADED BUNDING
i. Medium sized bunds built with 0.1 to 0.5% along contour
ii. Suitable for low permeable soils
iii. Suitable for land slope of 2 - 8%
iv. Aimed at removing excess rain water to safe drains
v. Suitable for > 600 mm annual rain fall area
CONSERVATION DITCHING
It is an alternate technique for graded bunding in black soil

areas by the ICAR Research Institute, Bellary.
Instead of constructing graded bunds to dispose off the excess

rain water safely, the rain water is harvested and stored in wider
ditches dugout in place of graded bunds.
CONTOUR TRENCH
Contour trenching consists of trenches excavated

along a uniform level across the slope of the land in the
top portion of catchments.
The main idea is to create more favorable moisture

conditions and thus accelerate the growth of planted trees.
GRADED TRENCHING
The trenches are limited in length to
about 450 m, starting from the end farthest
from the outlet, trenches run level for 90 to
120 m, than on a gradient increasing from
1 in 500 to 1 in 300 at the outlet. The bunds
or equalizers in the trenches are left closer
at about 3 to 4.5 m apart.
the trenches will be located directly below one another

Slope (%) V.I (m)
Gentle slopes 5-10 13.5-19.5
Medium slopes 10-25 6-13.5
Steep slopes > 25 1.25 m
Reference
www.tnau.ac.in/aecricbe/aetc/swc9.htm
http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/agri_majorareas_dryland_insitumo
isture.html
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a ct i c es

it is called as in-situ rain water harvesting.

The contour cultivation is the simplest method of

 Contour cultivation  Contour bunding

 This practice consists of providing thick rows of closely

Stubble mulching is a crop and soil management practice

The broad bed and furrow system

Normal bed width adopted is 150 cm

The broad beds and furrows have GROUNDNUT OR CHICKPEA CROP

during the monsoon period is a problem .

♦ Tied ridging consists of covering the land surface with

It is an alternate technique for graded bunding in black soil

Instead of constructing graded bunds to dispose off the excess

Contour trenching consists of trenches excavated

The main idea is to create more favorable moisture

the trenches will be located directly below one another

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