INDIA MAJOR SOIL TYPES N S E W Not to Scale Soil degradation: Soil degradation is an acute problem in India. According to a report of the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS). The estimated amount of soil .erosion that occurred in India was million hectares. The main problems of the Indian soils are i) soil erosion (sheet erosion, rill erosion, gully erosion, ravine and badland) ii) Degradation of Soil, iii) Water-logging, iv) Saline and Alkaline, and v) Salt Flats.
Methods of Conservation and Management of Soil . Afforestation . Constructing Dams and Barrages . Prevention of Overgrazing .
Improved methods of Agricultural practices Contour method, Rotation of crops, Contour bunding, Strip cropping, Planting of shelter belts, Adopting the techniques of sustainable agriculture are different conservation methods for better soil management. India - Agriculture b) Well Irrigation A well is a hole or trough, usually vertical, excavated in the earth for bringing groundwater to the surface. Well irrigation is the most important source of irrigation. It is a cheap, dependable, and popular source of irrigation in the country.
Well irrigation is unavoidable in the region of low rainfall and becomes an essential one where the canals and tank irrigation are not available. Wells are of two types: i) Open wells ii) Tube wells . Open Wells: This type of irrigation is widely practiced in the areas where groundwater is sufficiently available. The areas are in Ganga Plains, the deltaic region of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery and parts of Narmada and Tapti valleys.
. Tube Wells: Tube wells are developed in the areas of low water table, sufficient power supply and soft subsurface geological units. Tube wells are predominant in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. c) Tank Irrigation A tank is a natural or man-made hollow on the surface developed by constructing a small bund around it, across a stream.
It is used to collect and store water for irrigation and other purposes. Irrigation by tanks is a very old system in India. It also includes irrigation from lakes and ponds. The tank irrigation is popular in the peninsular India due to the following reasons: .
The undulating relief and hard rocks make difficult to dig canals and wells. . Natural depressions serve as reservoirs. .
Absence of perennial rivers. . Impermeable rock structure which do not permit percolation. .
The scattered nature of population and agricultural fields.