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How soil conservation affects the catchment sediment budget – a comprehensive study in the north Ethiopian highlands
Author(s) -
Nyssen Jan,
Clymans Wim,
Poesen Jean,
Vandecasteele Ine,
De Baets Sarah,
Haregeweyn Nigussie,
Naudts Jozef,
Hadera Amanuel,
Moeyersons Jan,
Haile Mitiku,
Deckers Jozef
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.1805
Subject(s) - drainage basin , sediment , hydrology (agriculture) , soil conservation , land degradation , erosion , environmental science , sedimentary budget , surface runoff , land use , deposition (geology) , vegetation (pathology) , soil loss , grazing , sediment transport , geology , geography , agriculture , ecology , geomorphology , medicine , cartography , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , pathology , biology
An overall approach to assess the effectiveness of soil conservation measures at catchment scale is the comparison of sediment budgets before and after implementation of a catchment management programme. In the May Zeg‐zeg catchment (187 ha) in Tigray, north Ethiopia, integrated catchment management has been implemented since 2004: stone bunds were built in the whole catchment, vegetation was allowed to re‐grow on steep slopes and other marginal land, stubble grazing abandoned, and check dams built in gullies. Land use and management were mapped and analysed for 2000 and 2006, whereby particular attention was given to the quantification of changes in soil loss due to the abandonment of stubble grazing. Sediment yield was also measured at the catchment's outlet. A combination of decreased soil loss (from 14·3 t ha –1 y –1 in 2000 to 9·0 t ha –1 y –1 in 2006) and increased sediment deposition (from 5·8 to 7·1 t ha –1 y –1 ) has led to strongly decreased sediment yield (from 8·5 to 1·9 t ha –1 y –1 ) and sediment delivery ratio (from 0·6 to 0·21). This diachronic comparison of sediment budgets revealed that integrated catchment management is most effective and efficient and is the advisable and desirable way to combat land degradation in Tigray and other tropical mountains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.