Soil Erosion and Sediment Load Management Strategies for Sustainable Irrigation in Arid Regions

Muhammad Tousif Bhatti,Muhammad Ashraf,Arif A Anwar

doi:10.3390/su13063547

Abstract

Soil erosion is a serious environmental issue in the Gomal River catchment shared by Pakistan and Afghanistan. The river segment between the Gomal Zam dam and a diversion barrage (~40 km) brings a huge load of sediments that negatively affects the downstream irrigation system, but the sediment sources have not been explored in detail in this sub-catchment. The analysis of flow and sediment data shows that the significant sediment yield is still contributing to the diversion barrage despite the Gomal Zam dam construction. However, the sediment share at the diversion barrage from the sub-catchment is much larger than its relative size. A spatial assessment of erosion rates in the sub-catchment with the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) shows that most of the sub-catchment falls into very severe and catastrophic erosion rate categories (>100 t h−1y−1). The sediment entry into the irrigation system can be managed both by limiting erosion in the catchment and trapping sediments into a hydraulic structure. The authors tested a scenario by improving the crop management factor in RUSLE as a catchment management option. The results show that improving the crop management factor makes little difference in reducing the erosion rates in the sub-catchment, suggesting other RUSLE factors, and perhaps slope is a more obvious reason for high erosion rates. This research also explores the efficiency of a proposed settling reservoir as a sediment load management option for the flows diverted from the barrage. The proposed settling reservoir is simulated using a computer-based sediment transport model. The modeling results suggest that a settling reservoir can reduce sediment entry into the irrigation network by trapping 95% and 25% for sand and silt particles, respectively. The findings of the study suggest that managing the sub-catchment characterizing an arid region and having steep slopes and barren mountains is a less compelling option to reduce sediment entry into the irrigation system compared to the settling reservoir at the diversion barrage. Managing the entire catchment (including upstream of Gomal Zam dam) can be a potential solution, but it would require cooperative planning due to the transboundary nature of the Gomal river catchment. The output of this research can aid policy and decision-makers to sustainably manage sedimentation issues in the irrigation network.

Highlights

IntroductionSoil erosion in catchments occurs in various forms such as sheet, rill, gully, river bed and bank erosion, and landslides that contribute sediments to the water bodies
The findings of the study suggest that managing the sub-catchment characterizing an arid region and having steep slopes and barren mountains is a less compelling option to reduce sediment entry into the irrigation system compared to the settling reservoir at the diversion barrage
The irrigation system fed by the Gomal river is challenged by the massive amounts of sediment flowing into it

Summary

Introduction

Soil erosion in catchments occurs in various forms such as sheet, rill, gully, river bed and bank erosion, and landslides that contribute sediments to the water bodies. The rate of erosion is primarily determined by the erosive events (e.g., short duration and high-intensity rainfall events), soil type, and characteristics of the terrain [1]. The impacts of accelerated soil erosion processes can be severe, through land degradation and fertility loss but through a conspicuous number of off-site effects such as sedimentation, siltation, and eutrophication of waterways or enhanced flooding [2]. Soil erosion rates are exacerbated for the arid and semi-arid regions due to barren mountains with scattered vegetation that provide direct exposure to heavy rainfall.

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Conclusion