**3. Classification of ravine system**

The ravine system has gullies having independent catchment along with a regular main stream. In each drainage system, it is observed that gullies occur in

**181**

V (dark green)

*Ecological Engineering Measures for Ravine Slope Stabilization and Its Sustainable Productive…*

G1 Very small gullies Depth up to 3 m. Bed width not greater than 18 m. Side slopes varies. G2 Small gullies Depth up to 3 m. Bed width greater than 18 meters. Side slopes varies. G3 Medium gullies Depth between 3 m to 9 m. Bed width not less than 18 m. Sides uniformly sloping between 8 to 15%.

Depth 3 m to 9 m. Bed width less than 18 m. Side slopes varies.

**measures**

cropping.

or even vertical with intricate and active branch of gullies.

Depth greater than 9 m. Bed width varies. Side slopes varies. Mostly steep

**Recommended soil and water conservation** 

No measures necessary, except ordinary

(ii) Good agronomic measures such as contour cropping, strip cropping and cover

(i) Contour and peripheral bund, (ii) Provision of safe outlets at gully heads (pipe outlet or chute) for the discharge of excess runoff, (iii) Intense agronomic measures such as contour cropping, contour strip cropping and cover cropping.

(i) Peripheral control with diversion bunds and safe outlets, (ii) Clearing and minor leveling on gully sides and beds, (iii) Putting up composite check dams of earth and brick masonry across the gully bed at 4′ vertical interval or 400 m horizontal interval, (iv) Terracing on gully sides up to 15% at 3′-4′ vertical interval, (v) Good crop rotations and heavy application of manure and fertilizers for

restoration of soil fertility.

development

afforestation.

Controlled grazing after pasture

(i) Grazing strictly prohibited, (ii) Cut the grass and stall feed the cattle's, (iii) Staggered contour trenching and

good farming practices.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94136*

Narrow gullies

**Slope (%) Distance from gully** 

0–1 Very far from gully rim

gullies

15–25 Wide humps or gully

sides (minimum 120 m long and 30 m wide with no gully intrusion.

between the gully rim and the cultivated land (Peripheral bund)

gully sides and beds (G1, G2, and G3). Slope must be uniform and gully depth should not be more than 9 m.

III (red) 0–8 Between 6 and 60 m.

IV (blue) 8–15 Small and medium

b. Land not suited for cultivation

VI (orange) Varies Marginal land

**rim and land form**

II (yellow) 1–3 Beyond 60 m (i) Contour bund in the catchment,

Table lands and wide humps between wide

G4 Deep and

*Classification of gullies in ravine land.*

a. Land suitable for cultivation

**Table 1.**

**Land capability class**

I (light green yellow)

**Symbol Description Specifications**

*Ecological Engineering Measures for Ravine Slope Stabilization and Its Sustainable Productive… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94136*


#### **Table 1.**

*Slope Engineering*

formed, when the vegetal cover is not strong enough to hold and bind the soil particles together from being carried away by the runoff water. The restoration of these ecosystems through bio-engineering measures is extremely important to conserve natural resources, maintain landscape sustainability, enhance carbon sequestration, mitigate climate change, improve socio-economic conditions and ensure food and

Ravine is subjected to extreme hydrological events (flood and drought), high summer temperatures, high wind velocity and extreme soil erosion that make them more vulnerable to land degradation. The several anthropological activities such as improper land use, illicit mining, faulty methods of road construction, uncontrolled grazing, deforestation, increased population, overexploitation of natural resources, unplanned urbanization, unregulated industrialization, increased rural poverty, low natural resource management skill and absence of appropriate resource conservation measures etc. accelerates the erosion process, that leads to land degradation and ravine landscapes formation [4]. To reclaim and rehabilitate such unproductive ravines, soil and water conservation technologies, e.g., peripheral and contour bund, vegetative barriers, grassed waterways, terrace, trench, composite check dams, gully plugs, gully easing, afforestation, agroforestry, contour cultivation, strip cropping, intercropping, mulching, tillage, cropping system, crop scheduling, crop geometry, organic manures, conservation agriculture, and soil management techniques have been successfully tested and recommended. These soil and water conservation measures can provide a large number of tangible i.e. controlling soil erosion, improving soil properties, promoting plant growth and yield, enhancing biomass/carbon stock, and provision of various tree products and intangible benefits i.e. mitigating climate change, protection of downstream water bodies, regulating the environmental flow, biomass recycling and soil formation, capacity building, out migration mitigation, bio-diversity [5]. Therefore, we have discussed the various engineering/mechanical, afforestation, agroforestry, agronomic and soil management practices for applied for managing and stabilizing the ravine slope.

In India the ravines have mostly developed along the river systems having highly productive and deep alluvial soils. The National Commission on Agriculture estimated 3.67 M ha of ravine lands 1.12% of total geographical area of India [6]. Out of 3.67 M ha of ravine lands in India, 2.36 M ha (64%) exists in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Gujarat states of India [7]. The ravines on *Yamuna* and *Chambal* River are the largest and most severely degraded ecosystems in the country. Besides these the ravines also extends from the banks of the *Tapti*, *Narmada*, *Watrak*, *Sabarmati*, and *Mahi* River. However, some staggered patches of ravines are also found in *Chota Nagpur* plateau, *Mahanadi* river basin and upper *Sone* Valley, *Indo-Gangetic* plains, *Shiwaliks* and *Bhabar* tract, and Western Himalayas even up to the *Kashmir* Valley [7]. In unmanaged conditions rate of ravine extension ranges from 0.6 to 1.0 m per year and is much greater on sandy soil than on the clay loam soils. The average annual loss of nutrients from these ravine lands due to soil erosion has been estimated at 5.37–8.4 Mg resulting into loss of production due to non-reclamation of ravines [8].

The ravine system has gullies having independent catchment along with a regular main stream. In each drainage system, it is observed that gullies occur in

livelihood security throughout such regions [3].

**2. Extent of ravine in India**

**3. Classification of ravine system**

**180**

*Classification of gullies in ravine land.*



**Table 2.**

*Land capability classification for soil and water conservation measures in ravine land.*

a certain regular order with well-defined side slopes, bed width and depth. In the upper reaches of the drainage system the gullies are wide and shallow with varying side slopes. The middle part of the drainage system usually has relatively deeper, wider and has uniform side slopes normally up to about 25%. The lower portion of the drainage system usually happens very deep, has steep side slopes and associated with intricate branched gullies. The ravine management depends on extent of gully bank deformation, slope, soil quality and vegetation cover. The ravines are classified in six classes based on the extent of gully bank deformation and erosion vulnerability under varying slopes. The shallow gullies up to 3.0 m depths are classified under land capability class I and II and recommended for cultivation of seasonal crops with moderate land leveling. The land capability class III has deeper and narrow gullies and more limitations for cultivation of seasonal crops. The land capability class IV has severe limitations of soil texture, gully size, steeper side slopes, and deeper and narrower gully beds for cultivation of seasonal crops and recommended for perennial horticulture plantations. The Class V and VI lands are not recommended for high value plantations or cultivation due to limitations of seasonal backflows from an adjoining river system, waterlogging, development of soil salinity due to irrigation, or due to extreme slope of gully bank. Hence, Class V and VI lands are recommended for perennial vegetation avoiding uncontrolled grazing activities. The ravine management is location-specific and should be undertaken based on the above classification and limitations.

Several workers have classified the gullies based on their cross section, forms, gully head characteristics, length, width and depth of catchment. Classification of the gullies, evolved at the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Vasad, Gujarat, India after critically observing ravine landscape developed along most of the river banks in Western India. The different types of gullies classified based on depth from adjacent marginal lands, width of the gully and side slopes given below in **Table 1** and the land capability classification and recommended conservation measures for ravine land is given in **Table 2** [9].
