SOIL CONSERVATION

and

LAND CAPABILITY CLASSIFICATION

 Introduction

 Measures that provide for management of water and soil

 Conservation practices involves the soil, the plant and climate, each of which is
of utmost importance.
 Engineering approach to soil and water conservation problems involves
physical integration of soil, water and plants in design of a co-ordinated water
management
 Engineering problems involved in soil conservation may be divided into six
phases:
 Erosion control
 Drainage
 Irrigation
 Flood control
 Moisture conservation and
 Water resource development
conservation of these vital resources implies utilization without waste so as to
make possible a high level of production which can be continued
indefinitely.
 Soil conservation
• Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for
prevention of soil being eroded from the Earth’s surface
or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification,
salinization or other chemical soil contamination.

• Following are the types of soil conservation:

• Farmland conservation
• Conservation Tillage
• Contour Bunding and Bench Terracing
• Cover Crops
Soil Conservation Measures
Aims at increasing infiltration of rain water, decreasing runoff
and soil loss from fields

1.Agronomical Soil conservation-

Keeping land under vegetative cover at least during the
period or season when the land is most susceptible for erosion.
Includes Crop Rotation, Mulching, Contour farming, Strip
cropping (alternate strips) and growing grasses/forest

2. Mechanical Conservation
1.Creating furrows parallel to contours
2.Terracing (earthen embankments across the slopes)
 Methods of Soil and Water
Conservation
• Tree plantation
• Terracing
• Contour bunding
• Crop rotation
• No-till farming
• Watering
• Gully plugs
• Check dams
• Planting of Indigenous crops
 Farmland conservation
•Farmland conservation techniques like contour planting, crop
rotation and strip planting re-energize soil content and prevent
erosion.
 Conservation Tillage
• Conservation tillage practices like strip-tilling, no-
tilling, ridge-tilling and mulch-tilling leave a good
portion of nutrient-rich organic material in place
and conserve topsoil.
 Contour bunding
• Contour bunding and bench terracing are effective
soil conservation techniques. Bunding protects
land from water runoff, and bench terracing
recycles organic matter from one terrace to the
next.
 Cover Crops
• Planting cover crops like oats, wheat or rye
on unused land builds organic matter while
protecting topsoil from wind and water
erosion.
 Soil Conservation Structures

Gully plugs /Gabion /Check Dam

 Types of Erosion of Soil
Two major types of erosion
 Geological erosion
 Accelerated erosion
Geological erosion: includes soil-forming as well as soil eroding
processes which maintain the soil in a favorable balance.
Accelerated erosion: includes deterioration and loss of soil as a result
of man’s activities. Although, soil removal are recognized in both cases,
only accelerated erosion is considered in conservation activities.
The forces involved in accelerated erosion are:
1. Attacking forces which remove and transport the soil particles and
2. Resisting forces which retard erosion.

Wind Erosion
 Suspension- Very fine particles <0.1 mm moved upwards, suspension of fine
particles in air carried away
Saltation – Soil particle 0.1 to 0.5 mm pushed along surface, collide with other
particles, leap vertically upwards
 Surface Creep- Particle size 0.5 to 1 mm pushed along surface
Factors affecting soil erosion

1.Rainfall

2.Land Slope

3.Nature of Soil

4.Crop Management Practices

 Soil erosion by water
Water erosion is removal of soil from lands surface by running water including runoff from
melted snow and ice. Water erosion is sub-divided into raindrop, sheet, rill, gully and stream
channel erosion.

Major Factors Affecting Erosion by Water

Climate: Precipitation, temperature, wind, humidity and solar radiation

Soil : Physical properties of soil affects the infiltration capacity of the soil. The extend to
which it can be dispersed and transported.

Vegetation: This cover could also help in erosion

Topography: The surface or the physiography of the terrain also a matter of concern

Temperature and wind: Evident through their effect on evaporation and

transpiration. However, wind also changes raindrop velocities and angle of impact. Humidity
and solar radiation are less directly involved since they are associated with temperature.
Water Erosion
Splash erosion – Removal of soil by rain drops

Sheet erosion – Removal of soil layers by flowing rain water

 Rill Erosion- Down ward flow of rain water concentrates to form

minute finger shaped channels

 Gully Erosion- Rills are converted into ‘U’ or ‘V’ shaped gullies

 Slip Erosion- Large masses of rock and soil materials detached

from mountains during heavy rainy season

 Stream bank erosion- River change its course, soil material

carried down stream, finer particles
deposited on the banks
 Vegetation

Major effect of vegetation in reducing erosion are:

 Interception of rainfall
 Retardation of erosion by decrease of surface velocity
 Physical restraint of soil movement
 Improvement of aggregation and porosity of the soil by
roots and plants residue
 Increase biological activities
 Transpiration – decrease soil moisture resulting in
increased storage capacity.
These vegetative influences vary with the season, crops,
degree of maturity, soil & climate as well as with kind
of vegetative materials namely: roots, plant tops, plant
residue
 Topography

Features that influence erosion are:

 Degree of slope
 Length of slope
 Size and shape of the watershed
Straight
Complex
Concave
Convex.
Land Capability
Classification
Land capability classification is a system of grouping soils primarily on
basis of their capability to produce common cultivated crops and pasture
plants without deteriorating over a long period of time

Land Capability Classification is

1.Interpretative groupings used to evaluate arable and non arable lands
for limitations or hazards for producing commodity crops using soil
characteristics.

2. Used to compare reclaimed soils after surface mining to their pre-mined

condition.

3.Involves soil components, soil map units, land capability classes (LCC),
land capability subclasses (LCS), and land capability unit (LCU).

Soil map units in an LCU are sufficiently uniform to

(a)Produce cultivated crops, pasture plants with management practices,
(b)Require similar conservation treatment, management under same kind
and condition of vegetative cover, and
(c)Have comparable potential productivity

Major difference in LCC for pre-mined and reclaimed soils was always a
result of changes in soil Available Water Capacity (AWC).
There are 8 Capability Classes (CC).

CC are designated by either Arabic or Roman numerals (I to VIII),

which represent progressively greater limitations and narrower
choices for practical land use

CC are noted with an e, w, s, or c following the capability class

for example, II e.

The "e" indicates that the soil is erosive.

A "w" signifies a wetness limitation.

An "s" denotes a shallow, droughty or stony soil.

A "c" indicates a climatic limitation.

Classes and definitions:
Class I (1) soils have slight limitations that restrict their use.

Class II (2) soils have moderate limitations that reduce choice of plants or require
moderate conservation practices.

Class III (3) soils have severe limitations that reduce choice of plants or require
special conservation practices, or both.

Class IV (4) soils have very severe limitations that restrict choice of plants or require
very careful management, or both.

Class V (5) soils have little or no hazard of erosion but have limitations, impractical
to remove, limit their use to pasture, range, forestland, or wildlife food and cover.

Class VI (6) soils have severe limitations that make them unsuitable to cultivation and
limit their use to pasture, range, forestland, or wildlife food and cover.

Class VII (7) soils have very severe limitations that make unsuitable to cultivation and
restrict their use to grazing, forestland, or wildlife.

Class VIII(8) soils have limitations that use for commercial plant production and limit
their use to recreation, wildlife, water supply, aesthetic purposes.
Subclasses and definitions
Erosion (e) - Dominant problem or hazard affecting their use.

Wetness (w)- Excess water, Poor soil drainage, wetness, high water table,
and over flow is dominant hazard or limitation affecting
their use.

Soil (s) - Soil limitations within rooting zone, Like shallow soil profile,
stones, low moisture-holding capacity, low fertility that is
difficult to correct, and salinity or sodium content.

Climate (c) - Temperature or lack of moisture is major hazard or

limitation affecting their use.
Class I

Soils In this class have few limitations that restrict their use.

Best in nearly all respects for both agricultural production and non
agricultural uses.

Deep (1 m (40” or more)), well drained and medium textured, medium to

high available water capacities, moderate permeability and none to
moderate erosion.

Easily worked and are among the most productive in the state.

Slopes should not exceed 2% in Coastal Plain or 3% in Piedmont areas

Management include maintenance of proper plant nutrient balance

Class II

Soils have some limitations that reduce choice of plants or require

moderate conservation practices.

Soils are rated good and productive, some physical conditions render
them less desirable than class I land.

Drainage class, soil depth, permeability, available water capacity may be

less desirable than class I soils. limiting factor with mottling within 20 to
40 in.

Slopes ranging between 2 and 5% in the Coastal Plain, and 3 and 8% in

the remainder areas

Slow or rapid permeability, low available water capacity or moderate soil

depth (0.5 to 1 m (20 to 40”)) also could eliminate this soil from class I.

Management practices, should include moderate erosion control like

contour fanning, moisture retention methods or drainage.
Class III

Have severe limitations reduce choice of plants or require special conservation

practices, or both.

Limitations similar to class II soils but more severe, restricting use of soils.

Strongly sloping and subject to moderate to severe erosion.

Slope limits between 5 to 10% for Coastal Plain and 8 to 15% for others

If drainage is limiting factor, mottling should occur within the 20” zone indicating
saturated conditions or high water tables

Shallow soils (<0.5 m (20”)), coarse-textured surface layers, fine textured sub soils
with slow permeability or very low available water capacity also limit use.

Very coarse with very low available water capacities also fit into this class and
require irrigation to realize production.

Require more intense management like terracing and strip-cropping.

Where excessive water is limiting, drainage practices are necessary to make these
soils productive.
Class IV

Very severe limitations restrict choice of plants or require careful

management , or both.

Where erosion is limiting, good for occasional cultivation under careful

management.

Crops should occupy a large portion of rotation because of severe erosion

Slope limits between 10 to 15% in Coastal Plain, and 15 to25%.

Very poorly drained, high water tables, or saturated for long periods, that
only very intensive drainage management can make productive.

Severely eroded or gullied with little or no surface soil must be placed in

this capability class, even though these soils may occur on slopes similar
to those required for class III soils

Very intensive management practices required for production.

Crops like hay, pasture crops are necessary to minimize erosion loss.
Class V

Soils in this class are nearly level and not subject to erosion, but due
excessive wetness (flooding or some obstruction of rock outcrops), not
suited for cultivation.

Many of these soils are deep, have few limitations for pasture or forestry.

Soils respond to good management necessary for production.

Class VI
Have severe limitations that make them unsuitable for cultivation,

Limit their use largely to pasture, woodland, or wildlife food and cover.

Soils have limitations that cannot be corrected economically such as

steep slopes (15 to 25% in the Coastal Plain and 25 to 50% in Piedmont
zones), a severe erosion hazard, effects of past erosion, or stoniness.

These factors produce some limitations for pasture and forestry .

Class VII
Have very severe limitations that make unsuitable for cultivation

Restrict their use largely to grazing, woodland or wildlife.

Intensive management can make productive pasture and woodland possible.

Even in rough, timbered areas, special care is required to prevent excessive erosion.

Soils on very steep slopes, shallow soils and stony soils occur on slopes >25% in
Coastal Plain and > 50% in Piedmont areas

This class is least capable soils with regard to pasture and woodland.

Class VIII
Have limitations, use for production of plants and restrict their use to recreation,
water supply, wildlife or aesthetic purposes.

Tidal marshes, continuously ponded areas and areas >90% rock outcrop, stones or
boulders are included in this class as well as borrow pits, barren mine dumps and
sandy beaches.

These areas have few or none of physical soil features necessary to support any type
of agriculture.