CHECK DAM CONSTRUCTION FOR SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING Authoritative and comprehensive reference on the potential for watershed development through the use of check dams Check Dam Construction for Sustainable Watershed Management and Planning summarizes current knowledge of check dams as key soil and water conservation structures in some of the most sensitive and vulnerable ecosystems in the world, as exemplified by the Mediterranean area and the Chinese Loess Plateau, providing detailed information on check dam design and watershed planning, the use of advanced modeling techniques, challenges in dam construction and how to overcome them. The work integrates decades of research in the field of soil and water conservation and gully management, including advanced studies in check dam construction and watershed management. It also covers important new techniques and methods, such as hydrological modeling, isotope tracing, and more. To aid in reader comprehension, the five highly qualified editors have divided the work into three distinct sections. Sections I and II focus on the experience gained from the erosion hotspots in the Chinese Loess Plateau, whereas Section III expands the scope to other regions with different functions for check dams, including headwater ecosystems and alpine environments. Sample topics covered in Check Dam Construction for Sustainable Watershed Management and Planning include: The regulating effect of check dam systems on sediment redistribution and the formation and development of dam systems in small watersheds Water and soil conservation made possible by check dam construction and sediment source analysis of water-sediment retarding effects of check dams The regulation of check dam systems on the erosion dynamic process and the mechanism of erosion reduction by check dams Flood control risk assessment on warping dam systems and the development and utilization model of check dam systems With its systematic coverage of all aspects of dam construction and maintenance, Check Dam Construction for Sustainable Watershed Management and Planning supports decision making by local authorities and can also be used as a professional guide for ecologists, hydrologists, and water resource managers.

This book offers the scientific basis for the ample evaluation of badland management in India and some surrounding regions. It examines the processes operating in the headwaters and main channels of ephemeral rivers in lateritic environments of India. In particular, the book covers a range of vital topics in the areas of gully erosion and water to soil erosion at lateritic uplands regions of India and other regions in Asia. It explores the probable gully erosion modeling through Remote Sensing & GIS Techniques. It is divided into three units. Unit I deals with the introduction of badland, types of badland and the process of badland formation. Unit II is devoted to a description of quantitative measurements. Unit III deals with the control and management processes related to various issues from different regions. As such this book serves as a reference book for research activities in this area. It is an efficient guide for aspiring researchers in applied geography, explaining advanced techniques to help students recognize both simple and complex concepts.

Research on reservoir sedimentation in recent years has been aimed mainly at water resources projects in developing countries. These countries, especially in Africa, often have to cope with long droughts, flash floods and severe erosion problems. Large reservoir capacities are required to capture water provided by flash floods so as to ensure the supply of water in periods of drought. The problem arising however is that these floods, due to their tremendous stream power, carry enormous volumes of sediment which, due to the size of reservoirs, are virtually deposited in toto in the reservoir basin, leading to fast deterioration of a costly investment. Accurate forecasting of reservoir behaviour is therefore of the utmost importance.This book fills a gap in current literature by providing in one volume comprehensive coverage of techniques required to practically investigate the effects sediment deposition in reservoirs has on the viability of water resources projects. Current techniques for practically estimating sediment yield from catchments, estimating the volume of sediment expected to deposit in reservoirs, predicting sediment distribution and calculating scour downstream of reservoirs are evaluated and presented. The liberal use of diagrams and graphs to explain the various techniques enhances understanding and makes practical application simple. A major feature of the book is the application of stream power theory to explain the process of reservoir sedimentation and to develop four new methods for predicting sediment distribution in reservoirs.The book is primarily directed at practising engineers involved in the planning and design of water resources projects and at post-graduate students interested in this field of study.

Check dams are a potentially effective instrument for planning of hydrological risks and soil conservation. Cross structure sequences have been used in numerous areas in the world to control flooding, recharge aquifers and stabilise mountain streams, gullies and high-gradient ephemeral channels. Nevertheless, it is little known of the effectiveness of check dams and their morphological effects. This book is an attempt to compile different based-field and laboratory research works in torrential head water areas. Bed stability variations will be investigated according to check dams types, bedrock control, bed slope, channel roughness, lateral sediment input, and highly variable sediment transport capacity. Though the main purpose of check dams is to stabilise the channel bed and diminish the boundary sheer stress reaching a minor longitudinal slope, they can reduce the volume of channel-stored material favouring local scour processes downstream and occasionally destabilise the hill slopes upstream.

This book provides comprehensive studies from Middle East, African countries and Asia including Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, India, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia and Turkey on groundwater management, modelling and monitoring. A broad approach such as modelling, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and statistical models was applied in arid and semi-arid areas for management of the groundwater. These new approaches are currently in high demand. The book delves into the applications of these methods and will be a potential asset to the researchers worldwide. The book is a timely publication containing chapters based on primary data or/and extensive review chapters comprising new emerging techniques. Current high-demand research on management through the application of modelling, artificial intelligence and machine learning is the main selling point of this book.

The world's poor will be the most critically affected by a changing climate—and yet their current plight isn't improving rapidly enough to fulfill the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. If experienced development organizations are finding it difficult to solve decades-old development problems, how will they additionally solve new challenges driven by climate change? This book illustrates how including community members in project design and co-management leads to long-lasting, successful achievement of development and adaptation goals. This field guide provides a system of building block activities for staff on the ground to use in developing and implementing successful adaptation to climate change projects that can be co-managed and sustained by communities. Based on years of use in 129 different countries, the techniques illustrated in this field guide use a step-by-step progression to lead readers through problem assessment, project design, implementation, and community take over. The book equips development staff with all the tools and techniques they need to improve current project effectiveness, to introduce community based adaptation into organizational programming and to generate new projects. The techniques provided can be applied to broad range of challenges, from agriculture and soil and water challenges, to health concerns, flood defences and market development. The book is supported by a user-friendly website updated by the author, where readers can download online resources for each chapter which they can tailor to their own specific projects. This practical guide is accessible to all levels of development staff and practitioners, as well as to students of development and environmental studies.