Effect of Some Micro-Catchment Water Harvesting Techniques on Some Soil Physical Properties

The experimental work was conducted at Jebel Awlia locality 40 kilometers south of Omdurman city during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 rainy seasons to investigate the effect of micro-catchment water harvesting techniques on some soil physical properties. Techniques used were, semi- circular, V-shaped, pits, deep ditches and land without water harvesting technique control. Soil properties studied were infiltration rate, saturation percentage, bulk density and the percentages of clay, silt and sand. The results showed that infiltration rates in all treatments were lower than that of the control, the mean differences between treatments were not significant in the first season but significantly lower means were obtained by the semi circular and pits in the second season. Saturation percentage in both seasons, were significantly lower after rainfall as compared to that before rainfall for all treatments. Except for the semi-circular and the V-shaped treatments in both seasons and deep ditches in the first season and pits in the second season, bulk density after rain fall was significantly lower than that before rainfall. Clay content in both seasons was not significantly affected by the water harvesting techniques, except under deep ditches in the second season and overall in both seasons. Silt content, in both seasons, was not significantly influenced by the technique for all treatments, except during the first season, in which the techniques before rainfall had a significantly higher mean as compared to that after rainfall. Effect of the water harvesting technique on sand content had insignificant effect, except the overall mean of the techniques during the second season, in which before rainfall was significantly higher as compared to that of the control treatments.