FREE EBOOK

Soil and Water

Conservation
ARD Notes
For NABARD Grade A Exam
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

Soil and Water Conservation

ARD Notes for NABARD Grade A Exam

Types of Soil in India

1. Alluvial Soil

• Less Phosphorus

• Found mainly in the Satluj- Ganga- Brahmaputra Plains, the valleys of the Narmada,
Tapi, and the Eastern and Western coastal plains.

• Suited for Rice, maize, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds, etc.

Types of Alluvial Soil

• Khadar Soil (New): Enriched with fresh silts. They are low-lying, and frequently
inundated by floods during the rainy season. It occupies the flood plains of rivers.

• Bhangar Soil (Old): Lies above the flood level. It is well-drained but because of the
calcium carbonate nodules, the texture of the soil varies from loamy soil to clayey soil.

2. Red Soil (known as the omnibus group)

• This soil developed on Archean granite occupies the second largest area of the
country.

• Mainly found in the Peninsula from Tamil Nadu in the south to Bundelkhand in the
north and Raj Mahal in the east to Kathiawad in the west.

• Deficient in phosphate, lime, magnesia, humus and nitrogen, the presence of ferric
oxides makes the colour of soil red.

• Good for the cultivation of wheat, cotton, pulses, tobacco, millets, orchards, potato,
and oilseeds.
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

3. Black or Regur Soil (Rocks of cretaceous lava)

• The soil is rich in iron, lime, calcium, potash, magnesium, and aluminium. It has a high
water-retaining capacity.

• Stretch over the parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Western parts of Madhya Pradesh,
North- Western Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and
Jharkhand up to Raj Mahal hills.

• Good for cotton cultivation, Tobacco, citrus fruits, castor, and linseed.

4. Desert Soil

• They are sandy with low organic matter.

• It has low soluble salts and moisture with very low retaining capacity.

• If irrigated this soil gives a high agricultural return.

• This soil is deposited by wind action and is mainly found in the arid and semi-arid areas
like Rajasthan, West of the Aravallis, Northern Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kachchh, Western
parts of Haryana and the southern part of Punjab.

• These are suitable for less water-intensive crops like Bajra, pulses, fodder, and guar.

5. Laterite Soil

• These are poor in organic matter, nitrogen, potassium, lime, and potash. These iron
and aluminium-rich soils.

• Raj Mahal hills, Eastern Ghats, Satpura, Vindhya, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
West Bengal, North Cachar Hills and the Garo hills.

• Suitable for the cultivation of rice, ragi, sugarcane, and cashew nuts.

6. Mountain Soil (immature and dark brown)

• This soil has a very low humus, and it is acidic.

• The orchards, fodder, and legumes are grown in this soil.

Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

7. Grey and Brown Soil

• It is formed by the weathering of granite, quartzite, and gneiss.

• These loose, friable soils contain iron- oxide (haematite and limonite).

• These soils are found in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

8. Submontane Soil

• These are formed by the deposition of eroded material from Shiwaliks and the lesser
Himalayas.

• These are found in the Tarai region of the submontane stretching from Jammu and
Kashmir to Assam.

• The soil supports a luxuriant growth of forest and is more prone to soil erosion.

9. Karewa Soil

• The fine silt, clay, and boulder gravels are the composition of Karewa soil.

• They are characterized by the fossils.

• Karewa soils are the lacustrine deposits in the Kashmir valleys and Bhadarwah valleys.

• Mainly devoted to the cultivation of saffron, almonds, apple, walnut, etc.

10. Peaty and Marshy Soils

• Atter and has high salinity.

• Deficient in potash and phosphate.

• Mainly found in Sunderbans delta, Kottayam, and Alappuzha districts of Kerala,

Rann Kachchh, deltas of Mahanadi, etc.
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

Soil Fertility
“Ability of the soil to sustain plant growth.”

• Fertile soil results in a high yield and better quality of plants.

• Fertile soil is rich in fundamental elements and minerals and has good aeration, water
holding capacity, and good texture.

Factors Affecting Soil Fertility

• Mineral Composition- Helps to predict the ability of the soil to retain plant nutrients.
Proper fertilizers and manures help in enhancing the quality of the soil.

• Soil pH- Helps in maintaining the nutrient availability of the soil. A pH range between
5.5-7 is optimum for soil fertility.

• Soil Texture-The minerals of different sizes are responsible for maintaining the
structure of the soil, Clayey soil can retain more nutrients (acts as a nutrient reservoir).

• Organic Matter - It is a source of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Soil Erosion
Soil particles are loosened or washed away in the valleys, oceans, rivers, streams or faraway
lands, Soil erosion is a continuous process that occurs either slowly or at an alarming rate, it
results in a continuous loss of topsoil, ecological degradation, soil collapse, etc.
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

Causes of Soil Erosion

1. Rainfall and Flooding: Higher intensity of rainstorm is the main cause of soil erosion; four
types of soil erosion are caused by rainfall:

• Rill Erosion

• Gully Erosion

• Sheet Erosion

• Splash Erosion

The raindrops disperse the soil, which is then washed away into the nearby streams and
rivers, Regions with very heavy and frequent rainfall face a large amount of soil loss, The
flowing water during floods also erodes a lot of soil by creating potholes, rock-cut basins, etc.

2. Agriculture: The farming practices are the major cause of soil erosion. The agricultural
activities disturb the ground, The trees are cleared, and the land is ploughed to sow new
seeds, most of the soil is eroded during winters, the tyres of tractors make grooves on the
land, making a natural pathway for water, Fine soil particles are eroded by wind.

3. Grazing: The grazing animals feed on the grasses and remove the vegetation from the land,
their hooves churn up the soil, and they also pull-out plants by their roots. This loosens the
soil and makes it more prone to erosion.

4. Logging and Mining: A large number of trees are cut down to carry out the logging process.
Trees hold the soil firmly. The canopy of the trees protects the soil from heavy rainfall and the
leaf litter that protects the soil from erosion.
Mining activities also disturb the land and leave the soil more prone to erosion.

5. Construction: The construction of roads and buildings exposes the soil to erosion. The
forests and grasslands are cleared for construction purposes, which exposes the soil making
it vulnerable to erosion.

Effects of Soil Erosion

1. Loss of Arable Land: The degraded soil does not support crop production and leads to low
crop productivity.

2. Clogging of Waterways: The agricultural soil contains pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers,

and several other chemicals.
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

3. Air Pollution: The dust particles merge in the air, resulting in air pollution. such as
pesticides and petroleum can be extremely hazardous when inhaled. The dust plumes from
the arid and semi-arid regions cause widespread pollution when the winds move.

4. Desertification: It transforms the habitable regions into deserts. Deforestation and the
destructive use of land worsen the situation. This also leads to loss of biodiversity,
degradation of the soil, and alteration in the ecosystem.

5. Destruction of Infrastructure: The accumulation of soil sediments in dams and along the
banks can reduce their efficiency. Thus, it affects infrastructural projects such as dams,
embankments, and drainage.

Soil Erosion Prevention

The following methods are normally adopted for conserving soil:

1. Afforestation: to increase the area under forests. Undiscriminating tree cutting should be
stopped and made to plant trees in new areas.

2. Checking Overgrazing: overgrazing of forests and grasslands by animals, especially by herds

and flocks of sheep, and goats.

3. Constructing Dams: Floods can be avoided by constructing dams across the rivers. Water
speed can be checked, and it considerably saves soil from erosion.

4. Changing Agricultural Practices: Certain changes in our agricultural practices as described

below:

• Crop Rotation: In India, peasants grow a particular crop in the same field year after
year. This practice takes away certain elements from the soil, making it infertile and
rendering it unsuitable for that crop.

• Strip Cropping: Crops may be cultivated in alternate strips. Some strips may be
allowed to lie fallow while in others different crops may be sown e.g., small tree crops,
grains, grass legumes, etc. Numerous yields ripen at diverse times of the year and are
harvested at intervals.

• Use of Early Maturing Varieties: Primary budding varieties of crops take really very
less time to mature. Thus, putting lesser pressure on the soil.

• Contour Ploughing: Ploughing is done at right angles to the hill slope, following the
natural contours of the hill. It makes the ridges and furrows break the flow of water
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

down the hill. As gullies are less, this prevents excessive soil loss. It is likely to develop
and reduce run-off so that plants receive more water.

• Terracing and Contour Bunding: One of the oldest methods of soil conservation. It is
done across the hill slopes are very effective, done by cutting hill slope into a number
of terraces having horizontal top and steep slopes on the back and front.

• Checking Shifting Cultivation: It is mainly used by tribes. Tribals switched over to

settled agriculture by checking shifting cultivation. Arrangements for tribal
resettlement can help to make them understand the new way of cultivation.

• Ploughing the Land in the Right Direction: Ploughing the land in a perpendicular
direction to the wind direction reduces wind velocity and protects the topsoil from
erosion.

Soil Fertility

The ability of soil to sustain agricultural plant growth, i.e. to provide plant habitat and result
in sustained and consistent yields of high quality. Fertile soil has the following properties:

• The ability to supply essential plant nutrients and water in adequate amounts and
proportions for plant growth and reproduction; and

• The absence of toxic substances may inhibit plant growth.

The following properties contribute to soil fertility in most situations:

• Sufficient soil depth for adequate root growth and water retention.

• Good internal drainage, allowing sufficient aeration for optimal root growth (although
some plants, such as rice, tolerate waterlogging).

• Topsoil or horizon O is with sufficient soil organic matter for healthy soil
structure and soil moisture retention.

• Soil pH in the range of 5.5 to 7.0 (suitable for most plants but some prefer or tolerate
more acid or alkaline conditions).

• Adequate concentrations of essential plant nutrients in plant-available forms.

• Presence of a range of microorganisms that support plant growth.

Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

Fertilizers

Fertiliser is a substance which is used to make the soil more fertile such as manure or a
mixture of nitrates. It is applied to the soils or to plant tissues (usually leaves) to supply one
or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants.

Classification of Fertilizers

1. Various Nitrogenous Chemical Fertilizers- ammonium sulphate, calcium ammonium

nitrate, basic calcium nitrate, calcium cyanamide, urea etc. these fertilizers supply nitrogen
to the soil.

2. Various Phosphatic Chemical Fertilizers - superphosphate of lime, triple super phosphate

etc and potash chemical fertilizers like potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, potassium
sulphate etc.

3. Some Chemical Fertilizers of Different Compositions like nitrogen phosphorus (NP)

fertilizers in which nitrogenous and phosphatic fertilizers are mixed up in a definite and
proper ratio. The fertilizers like dehydrogenate ammoniated phosphate, calcium super
phosphate etc are NP fertilizers.

Watershed Management

• A Watershed is defined as a geo-hydrological unit draining to a common point by a

system of drains.

• A watershed is an area of land and water bounded by a drainage divide within which
the surface runoff collects and flows out of the watershed through a single outlet into
a larger river or lake.

• Watershed technology is used in Rainfed areas.

• Watershed management implies effective conservation of soil and water resources for
sustainable production with minimum non-point resources (NFS) pollutant losses.

• It involves the management of land surface and vegetation so as to conserve the soil
and water for immediate and long-term benefits to the farmers, community, and
society as a whole.

The catchment area is the water collecting area. “All the areas from which water flows out
into a river or water pool”.
Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

Types of Watershed Management

Classified depending upon the size, drainage, shape, and land use pattern

• Macro watershed: 1000 -10,000 ha

• Micro watershed: 100 -1000 ha

• Mini watershed: 10 -100 ha

• Mille watershed: 1 -10 ha

Objectives of Watershed Management

• Production of food, fodder, fuel.

• Pollution control

• Over-exploitation of resources should be minimized

• Water storage, flood control, checking sedimentation.

• Wildlife preservation

• Erosion control and prevention of soil, degradation and conservation of soil and water.

• Employment generation through industrial development dairy fishery production.

• Recharging of groundwater to provide regular water supply for consumption and

industry as well as irrigation.

• Recreational facility.

Main Components of Watershed

• Soil and water conservation,

• Water harvesting and water management,

• Alternate land-use system.

Soil-Water-Conservation Free NABARD e-book

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting means the collection and storage of rainwater by some mechanism to
make water available for future use. An appreciable amount of precipitation, which is
generally lost as surface flow, can be harvested, and stored for useful purposes like drinking
and providing supplemental irrigation to the crops.

Get the Complete Notes in our NABARD Courses!

NABARD Grade A Online Courses

Check out Oliveboard’s Online Preparation Courses for NABARD Grade A exam comprising of
Video Lessons, Study Notes, Current Affairs, Descriptive English, Topic Tests, Mock Tests for
Phase-1, and Phase-2 and much more.

Have a look at the course here

Connect with us on:

• Telegram
• Discuss Forum
• YouTube
 FREE Ebooks Current Affairs
Download Now Explore Now

FREE MOCK TESTS + TOPIC TESTS + SECTIONAL TESTS

For Banking, Insurance, SSC & Railways Exams

Web APP

BLOG FORUM

Your on-stop destination Interact with peers & experts,

for all exam related exchange scores
information & preparation & improve your preparation.
resources.

Explore Now Explore Now

www.OliveBoard.in