Impact of Reforms in Cultivation Practices on Sedimentation in River Basin

Catchment characteristics play a major role in reducing the silt deposition in dams, rivers and other water harvesting structures. The catchment of these structures includes agricultural field, barrier lands etc. among these sediment from agricultural field is the major problem and this can be minimized by adoption of soil and water conservation measures. Therefore the study was undertaken to determine the impact of reforms in cultivation practices on sedimentation in river basin. All attempt to store the rainfall in soil profile between the bunds, check dam and farm ponds needs to done in entire river basin for effective and efficient utilization in rainfed agriculture. Subsequently in order to reduce the runoff soil and nutrient losses and to enhance the crop productivity the crop improvement measures such as deep cultivation, across the slope and contour cultivation with vegetative contour key lines, development of silvipasture systems with sown system on the shallow and waste land in the river basin, timely implementation of all agricultural operations, adoption of improved varieties are the few component of sustainable rainfed agriculture in the river basin. This off course will need the participation of farmers in the river basin in view to reduce the runoff, soil and nutrient losses and to enhance the crop productivity and to decrease the sediment load and concentration of chemicals to avoid the adverse consequences on the function of the rivers and ecosystems. This paper indicates the similar favourable results for the development of the river basin by reducing sedimentation.