Ravine Formation Research Articles

DESIGN OF ANTI-EROSION HYDRAULIC AND FORESTRY MEASURES TO COMBAT RAVINES

The article discusses the design of anti-erosion hydraulic and forestry measures to combat ravines in the territory of Kopenkuvate village, Golovanivsky district, Kirovohrad region. It has been established that climatic conditions (especially the distribution of precipitation, both in terms of the growing season and the intensity of precipitation) in some periods contribute to the acceleration of water erosion, especially gully erosion. According to hydrological calculations, the volume of runoff from the 10% snowmelt was 6792 m3, and the total solid runoff was 476 m3. An earthen rampart 186 m long and 2.0 m high was designed to capture the runoff. Reducing erosion intensity to acceptable levels is the main criterion for selecting erosion control measures. In addition to the agrotechnical erosion control measures used, the farm selected and designed their combination with hydrotechnical and forest reclamation measures that meet this condition. Simultaneously with the installation of the water retention berm, we create a forest strip along the ravine, which is placed on both sides of the ravine along its sides at a distance of 5 meters from them. The strip is 0.526 km long, 12.5 m wide, and has 5 rows. Amount of planting material: common oak - 1.052 thousand pieces; pear - 0.375 thousand pieces; white acacia - 0.375 thousand pieces; common dog rose - 0.750 thousand pieces; sea buckthorn - 1.052 thousand pieces. To strengthen the bottom of the ravine, we plan to install 15 wicker dams. The bottom of the ravine will be used for continuous forestation. To reforest the ravine bottom with an area of 0.52 hectares, we need 1,733 thousand poplar plants and 0.867 thousand rose hips. The complex of anti-erosion measures will reduce the intensity of erosion processes and the formation of ravines on agricultural lands.

Chambal Ravines: A Unique Kind of Topography

Ravines of Chambal, which runs across the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, is a unique landform for India. This region of Chambal serves as the most complex topography of the country as it continues to suffer from excessive soil erosion and reduced agriculture productivity. This paper will seek to answer questions regarding the formation of ravines, the soil morphology, and the unique variations that can be witnessed in different regions of ravine-hit areas. This paper will also address how ravines pose a serious socio-economic threat to populations nearby and what can be successful measures to reclaim these lands to make them economically viable. The paper tries to culminate the discussion by mentioning a few policy areas, which need to be strengthened so that the ravines of Chambal become a land of high geo-touristic value.

Study of biocementation treatment to prevent erosion by concentrated water flow in a small-scale sand slope

Road drainage systems collect runoff water during rainfall; however, their malfunction or defective discharge systems may cause downslope soil erosion through scour and runoff. Under climate changes scenario it is expected the occurrence of intense rainfalls with high erosion potential, and therefore it is important to increase slope resilience against this. This study assesses the effectiveness of biocementation through enzymatically induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) technique to prevent ravine formation caused by this phenomenon. The effectiveness of the EICP treatment was evaluated by comparing the results of an erosion test performed on a small-scale laboratory slope with those found in tests where identical slopes were covered with calcareous riprap, or with mulch of pine bark, both traditional solutions adopted in Europe to solve this problem. For this purpose, five identical small-scale slopes (maximum height 15 cm, slope V:H = 1:2) were built with dry uniform grading size sand in the laboratory. The first slope was the reference case, where no treatment was applied. The second was treated by spraying with enzymes and a feeding solution, while the third was treated only with feeding solution to analyze the contribution of the soil native bacteria in carbonate precipitation. The fourth and fifth slopes were tested with the traditional cover solutions mentioned. All slopes were subjected to a water thread of 0.13 l/min simulating a culvert outflow. The untreated reference slope has developed a marked erosive channel along the entire length of the slope at the end of 9 min. Almost the same happened on the slope treated with feeding solution, showing that the amount of carbonate precipitated by soil native bacteria is not enough to prevent erosion. For the enzyme-treated slope no scour or runoff erosion have occurred, and the test was stopped only when the first signs of instability appeared, after complete saturation, at the end of 15 min. The slopes where the traditional solutions were applied exhibited resistance to runoff erosion but scour erosion has occurred. These tests ended also when the first signs of instability appeared also after saturation. Regardless of the erosion countermeasure adopted all have prevented runoff erosion of the slopes, but only EICP prevented scour erosion, proofing the efficiency of this treatment against ravine formation.

Potential of mobile application based on structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetry to monitor slope fast erosion by runoff water

Runoff water may cause soil erosion, being this a concern affecting multiple areas. Monitoring tools can help design efficient solutions to prevent erosion. This is usually done using reliable tools such as terrestrial laser scanners (TLS). However, for very fast erosive processes, the rate at which changes occur is greater than the scanning time and this is a challenge. Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry may solve this problem since it is possible to obtain 3D models from a few photographs, reducing the acquisition time to seconds. SfM technique was used in this paper to monitor ravine formation along a test carried out in the laboratory on a small slope (870 cm2) made of dry sand and subjected to a controlled water jet for 12 min. A mobile phone was used to take pictures at 2, 5, and 10 min of the test. All photos were taken at a distance of 80 cm from the slope. Photos were also taken before and after the test. In total, 5 sets of 9 photographs were taken. Photogrammetry-based Eyescloud3D application was used to obtain point clouds from the images taken with the mobile phone. These were later processed with CloudCompare software to analyse the geometry evolution of the erosion channel created by the runoff water. Because of the rapidly evolving system, it was not possible to control the lighting conditions when taking photographs. As a consequence, shadows prevent a good reconstruction where the erosion channel is deeper and narrower (less than 1 cm). Finally, a TLS was used to scan the final state of the slope and compare the result with that obtained using the SfM-based application. Similar results were obtained for 80% of the length of the erosion channel. However, deficiencies in the SfM reconstruction were found in the narrow areas mentioned above.

ОЦІНКА ЕКОЛОГІЧНОГО СТАНУ НАВКОЛИШНЬОГО СЕРЕДОВИЩА ІЛЛІНЕЦЬКОЇ ІМПАКТНОЇ СТРУКТУРИ

The article summarizes information about the Ilyinets structure exclusiveness, highlights its geological, mineralogical and geochemical, landscape and historical and cultural features. This topic relevance is due to the issues of preserving land resources within the cosmogenic landscape and assessing the state of the environment. The assessment of the ecological state of the study area made it possible to outline the threats to the environment within the Ilyinets crater. Among the natural origin threats, exogenous processes (geological work of surface waters, wind erosion, weathering) stand out, as a result of which ravines and gullies are formed; there is soil degradation, landscape changes and the like. Anthropogenic pressure carries two types of threats: unintentional actions to cause harm; and willful harm. The anthropogenic activity sometimes coincides with natural processes, raising their harmful consequences. In the work, stresses, critical, supercritical and catastrophic states of the environment of the Ilyinets impact structure are indicated. The characteristics and ranking of environmental threats are presented. The data obtained allow us to represent the ecological state of the Ilyinets crater as close to supercritical. We consider the administrative approach to the geological natural monuments allocation to be the main problem of the Ilyinets impact structure preservation. In order to stop the deterioration of the ecological state and preserve the unique natural structure, soils, landscapes and biogeodiversity of the territory, it is proposed to create the Ilyinets National Natural Park together with the existing botanical reserves, since increased ravine formation and intensive agricultural activities will lead to the land and forest resources degradation, impoverishment of biodiversity, as well as the loss of the recreational and tourist attractiveness of the region as a whole.

ANTHROPOGENIC TRANSFORMATION OF THE KONOPELKA RIVER BASIN

The article is devoted to the analysis of physical and geographical features of the Konopelka river basin. Hydrological characteristics of the river, morphometric, geomorphological, climatic features of its basin, soil cover of the territory are considered. The history of the study of the geoecological condition of the river basin, the rational use and protection of water resources of the basin in the works of ukrainian scientists has been studied. The position of the basin in the zoning scheme of the territory of Ukraine for the potential danger of erosion processes, anthropogenic development of the basin are analyzed. It is established that the level of anthropogenic development of the basin is not high. Within its boundaries there are 26 settlements, 16.5 thousand people live. The economic complex of the basin is represented mainly by agriculture with a developed production of grain and industrial crops, as well as the local industry for processing agricultural products. 33% of the basin area is covered by forest, 3% - wetlands, 21% - meadows, 40% - arable land. Only 3% of the catchment area is built up. In the use of land resources in recent years there has been a tendency to reduce arable land in connection with the introduction of contour and reclamation organization of the territory, allotments for homestead land, reserve land and the organization of farms. The water resources of the basin are currently used sparingly. The largest water consumer is agriculture. The total water demand is about 733000 m3/year, and the irreversible use of 551000 m3/year. Compared to 1991, in 2020 the volume of water supply to meet the needs of industry and utilities increased by 43.4% (due to the use of groundwater), agriculture - by 150%, wastewater discharge also increased by 42%. There are no organized wastewater discharges within the basin. Pollution of the river occurs as a result of unorganized runoff from agricultural fields, livestock farms, rural areas and unauthorized landfills. Drainage reclamation has a significant impact within the basin. Erosion rates are exceeded 6.5 times, the level of erosion risk is crisis, plowing is 49.2%. In order to study the changes in the natural functioning and balance of the ecological system of the Konopelka river, a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the level of anthropogenic pressure on its basin was conducted. In particular, the degree of anthropogenic transformation of the modern landscape was assessed according to the method of KAP, proposed by Voropay L.I., Dutchak N.V., Kunitsa N.A. The coefficient of landscape stability was also calculated according to the method of Klementova E., Heinige V. The performed calculations allowed to identify the value of the degree of transformation of the studied landscape as a transformed, unstable landscape with pronounced instability. The ecological condition of the river basin is unfavorable. Among the individual processes and phenomena that affect the formation of the geoecological state, it is necessary to highlight the location of pesticides that cause contamination with ammonia and phosphorus, the extent of plowing, which contributes to the removal of pollutants from agricultural areas. However, in addition to the processes of anthropogenic pollution, there are other processes that affect the formation of the ecological state of the basin. In particular, the processes of karst, waterlogging, flooding, ravine formation, subsidence and planar erosion are manifested. As a result of these processes, the channel is silted up, sediments are formed, and the shores are washed away. Environmental measures are proposed to improve the geoecological condition of the river basin. Among them: replanning of agricultural use of lands of various technological groups, organizational and economic agrotechnical reclamation and hydrotechnical compensatory measures.
 Keywords: river basin, geoecological condition of the basin, sources of anthropogenic influence within the basin, anthropogenic transformation of the basin

Ekonomicheskaya the assessment of farmlands with application of geographic information systems

A general system of ecological and economic assessment of agricultural lands is introduced. The system was developed taking theoretical basics of economic land evaluation and methods of significant ecological factors cost estimation into account. A possibility of allotting of ecological indicators as independent criteria for economic land evaluation is substantiated. The system of assessment was realized in application to the Novosibirsk region agricultural lands, which are actively used and subjected to erosion and ravine formation.

Productivity and nutritional value of natural forage lands on gullies and gullies

When creating environmentally sustainable agricultural landscapes, an important role is given to the rational use of the lands of the hydrographic fund, especially ravine-gully. These lands experience the greatest erosion load, since water flows from them from the entire catchment area through them. They are more affected by ravines and need reclamation not only from the standpoint of increasing land productivity, but also from the standpoint of protecting rivers and reservoirs from the products of flushing transported through these systems. In addition, the prevention of new ravine formation, the suspension of growth or the reclamation of ravines on these lands will save from the destruction of arable land on the slopes adjacent to the beam network. According to the agro-ecological state of the lands of the hydrographic fund, it is possible to judge the anti-erosion structure of the arable land and, in general, the agrolandscape. In the Central Black Earth Zone, due to the considerable plowing of the territory, the lands of the hydrographic fund are mainly occupied by natural fodder land, the yield of which does not exceed 40 kg / ha of green mass. More than half of the area of these lands is eroded, and about 120 thousand hectares are affected by ravines and practically excluded from agricultural use.

Historical aspect of environmental thinking and steppe forestry

Historical aspect of environmental thinking and steppe forestry

Tectonic forcing of evolution and Holocene erosion rate of ravines in the Marginal Ganga Plain, India

Understanding the processes of ravine formation and estimates of Specific Sediment Yields (SSY) of these regions help in formulating mitigation policies significantly. Upto now, in the Ganga Plain, the work done on ravine formation, erosion and SSY estimates has been speculative. Here, utilizing (i) high resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) prepared from Real Time Kinematic (RTK) survey and CARTOSAT images of ravined zones and (ii) luminescence chronology, we provide the first estimate of SSY from the ravines. The results indicate that SSY in the Marginal Ganga Plain (MGP) ravines may range between 600 ± 100t/km2/yr and 1600 ± 200t/km2/yr.The correspondence between the orientations of fractures and that of first order ravine suggests that the ravine growth is genetically related to extensional stress regime of the peripheral forebulge. Further, the clay sedimentology indicates that besides regional tectonics, action of swelling clays may have accelerated development of the badlands. The geomorphic relationship between the length of ravined catchments and incision in the trunk channels indicates that the river-incision associated base level change is not playing an overarching role in the ravine formation in the MGP.

A study of significant factors affecting the quality of water in the Oskil river (Ukraine)

The study has explored climate shifts in the Kharkiv region and changes in the hydrological indices of the Oskil river in Ukraine. Predictive models were constructed by the Holt­Winters method. The findings show an expected gradual increase in temperature by 1.9 °C – from 7.8 °C to 9.7 °C – in 2020, which can lead to a decrease in precipitation, the runoff volume, and water consumption. It also has a significant adverse impact on the formation of surface water quality and on the development of infestations. Natural and anthropogenic factors that have the most significant effects on the hydrochemical characteristics of the Oskil river were specified by a multivariate correlation and regression analysis. The research findings show that the quality of aquatic sites is most affected by wastewater discharges and an increase in air temperature, which testifies to the need of reducing loads from industrial facilities and utilities. The study takes into account landscape and environmental characteristics of the river basin. We have assessed rationality of using the basin catchment area on the basis of exponents such as tillage, urbanization, the volume of water consumption, forest cover, meadow cover, lake cover, and changes in the hydrological characteristics that influence the development of the intensity of degradation processes. The assessment of the processes of ravine formation, land erodibility, silting and waterlogging of small rivers in the Oskil river basin has shown a significant increase in the intensity of the degradation processes compared to 1990, which requires applying environmental protection measures to improve the situation. The ranking of the small rivers in the Oskil river basin by the index of process development helps prioritize the funding of environmental protection measures.

RAVINES AND LANDSLIDES OF THE UFA “PENINSULAR”

The Ufa “Peninsular” since active development is experiencing a shortage of land resources due to intensive dissection of Perm massive, on which the city is situated due to constant expansion of the latter. Structuralgeomorphological analysis, using remote sensing materials, field investigations, and drilling data have shown that Permian gypsum, limestone and sandy-clay rocks composing the territory, are divided by vertical and horizontal crustal deformations into blocks of different sizes. As a result, the rock mass was deconsolidated, which caused the intensifi cation of the formation of ravines and landslides.

Buried Paleoanthrosols of the Bronze Age agricultural terraces in the Kislovodsk basin (Northern Caucasus, Russia)

The article is devoted to the impact of ancient agriculture on soils and landscapes of the Kislovodsk basin. On the basis of pedological and archaeological investigations, we found that the population of the Koban culture (1200–600 BC) of the Kislovodsk basin had a highly-developed agriculture. By the middle of the first millennium BC, more than 60–70% (over 120 km2) of the slope areas and interfluve plateaus at the heights between 900 and 1500 m a.s.l. was terraced. The strongest anthropogenic transformation of soils and landscapes in the region coincided with drastic changes in climatic conditions at the turn of Subboreal to Subatlantic periods. As a result of increasing precipitation and cooling in the middle of the first millennium BC, erosion processes became generally more active. In the region of our study, they were especially strong in consequence of the absence of meadow vegetation. However, the widespread distribution of terraces with horizontal surfaces prevented the formation of ravines on the slopes. The soil and upper part of bedrock washed from the slope of the upper terraces was deposited on the surface of the underlying terrace. As a result, the Bronze Age anthrosols of the terraces were covered by thick layers of slope sediments. The middle of the first millennium BC may be considered as a zero-point of the current stage of soil formation in the Kislovodsk basin. The subsequent warming combined with a decrease of precipitation at the second half of the first millennium BC caused the stabilization of sedimentation and the beginning of the current stage of soil formation in the region.

Agglomeration defects on irradiated carbon nanotubes

Aligned carbon nanotubes (CNT) were irradiated in the longitudinal and perpendicular directions, with low energy carbon and helium ions in order to observe the formation of defects in the atomic structure. Analysis through Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy indicated bundle rupture and ion track formation on nanotube bundles. Aligned CNT presented a kind of defect comprising ravine formation and tube agglomeration on top of the substrate. The latter structure is possibly caused by static charge accumulation induced by the incoming ions. Fluence plays a role on the short range order. Higher fluence irradiation transforms CNT into amorphous carbon nanowires.

Deglaciation history and landscape development of fjord‐valley deposits in Buvika, Mid‐Norway

Thick deposits of glaciomarine clay and silt overlain by Holocene marine sediments in Norwegian fjord valleys have been, and still are, subject to erosional processes such as river incision, ravine formation and slide activity. In Buvika, Mid‐Norway, these land‐forming processes have been highly influenced by the valley‐fill stratigraphy. Glaciomarine and marine clay sediments dominate this 8 km long hanging valley south of the Gaulosen fjord, with local occurrences of coarser‐grained sediments. Studies of sediments and structures in road excavations together with 14C ages indicate at least one, possibly two, minor glacier readvances in late Allerød/early Younger Dryas (YD) time. This implies a more dynamic ice sheet with more minor ice‐front oscillations than earlier documented in this region. Glacioisostatic rebound resulted in groundwater leaching of marine clay and quick‐clay formation in certain layers or zones. The relative sea‐level fall led to incision by rivers accompanied by numerous slides involving quick clay, which completely liquefies when remoulded. To the east, permeInger‐Lise Solberg (e‐mail: inger-lise.solberg@sintef.no), Department of Geology and Mineral Resources Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Present address: SINTEF Building and Infrastructure, Høgskoleringen 7a, NO‐7465 Trondheim, Norway; Kåre Rokoengen, Department of Geology and Mineral Resources Engineering, NTNU, Sem Sælands veg 1, NO‐7491 Trondheim, Norway; Louise Hansen, Lars Olsen and Harald Sveian, Geological Survey of Norway, NO‐7491 Trondheim, Norwayable layers of northwesterly dipping sand and gravel generally originate from a former ice‐marginal delta. These relatively thick and frequent layers of interbedded sand and gravel in the clay‐dominated deposits drain groundwater in the slopes, leading to the development of deeply incised ravines. To the south and north, thinner layers of coarse material in the clay lead to pore‐pressure build‐ups and quick‐clay development, resulting in numerous slide scars. Knowledge of the morphology, stratigraphy and erosion pattern of areas prone to formation of quick clay is important in order to understand the landscape development and evaluate risk areas.

Ravine formation on steep slopes: Forward versus regressive erosion. Some case studies from Rwanda

Summary Observations on steep slopes in Rwanda reveal that human interventions on surficial drainage can introduce gullying on places where runoff normally leads to diffuse or ephemeral rill erosion. In such cases, an initial runoff incision or slide scar, respectively due to an artificial concentration of runoff or underflow, grows in downslope direction, mainly by runoff incision. This type of progressive or forward gully development contrasts with the more classical regressive development, here only observed in places where the flow gradient is less than 7°–8°.

V.—On the Formation of Ravines by Recent Drift Accumulations

It is not unusual in drift deposits, banked on hill slopes, to find a deep cut occupied by a very minute stream. These outs or ravines are supposed to be due to the streams; having been excavated by them in the banks of drift. If a ravine of this class is formed in one of the older drifts—namely, the Boulder-clay-drift or the Moraine-drift—it must apparently have been cut by a stream, but much of the drift banked on hill slopes is quite recent; that is formed by meteoric abrasion, and being added to at the present day. In these recent drifts, ravines are of common occurrence, and I would suggest that, instead of the stream cutting its ravine, meteoric abrasion has heaped up the banks, and the only action capable of being done by such a stream, is to keep its channel clear. Such accumulations of drift are very frequent in association with Maums, or connecting gaps across mountain-ranges, and there are always ravines in the banks,—yet by no arrangement of the water-supply, could streams be formed that would have the power to excavate them. In the accompanying sketch of Maumgeeha, Yar-Connaught, there is a maum, below which is a recent drift-bank with a ravine and its accompanying stream. None of the surface drainage of the hills on either side of the maum can get into the stream, it being fed by a spring, while the surface drainage of the mountains flows as represented by the arrows, and yearly the shed from the hills adds to the height of the banks.