Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Subroto Kumar Dey, Environmental Science, Khulna University, Bangladesh
Subroto Kumar Dey, Environmental Science, Khulna University, Bangladesh
Introduction:
River bank erosion is a perennial problem in Bangladesh, causing loss of
lands and livelihood along major rivers. Structural and non-structural
interventions are needed to prevent potential loss of land and livelihoods.
Riverbank erosion is possible at any riverbank site. Past records of erosion or
lack of erosion are not good indicators of the potential for future erosion at any
particular site. Records of riverbank erosion are not kept but past aerial
photographs may give an indication of past erosion. Long serving staff will have
knowledge of some historical erosion sites.
Erosion:
Erosion means soil removal from the earths surface. Erosion is
essentially a smoothing or leveling process with soil and rock particles being
carried rolled or washed down by force of gravity .It is also fundamental to the
formation of alluvial soil and sedimentary rocks. It is caused by water, wind,
temperature changes and biological activity
Land erosion takes three main forms:
1. River bank erosion
2. Wind Erosion
3. Slope Instability
4. Water Erosion
Riverbank Erosion:
River bank erosion is a serious problem of Bangladesh. In fact the rivers
which cover about 3.4 million hectares of lands are susceptible to widespread
bank erosion.
In this country about 70% of the total area is formed by alluvial deposit
where silts and silty clays predominate the top 15m to 25m and clays , sandy
silts and sands dominate at the deeper depths. The soil in the upper layers are
mostly non cohesive and therefore, easily vulnerable to erosion and scouring . A
network of 250 rivers having a total length of 2400km cover the country
flowing down into the Bay of Bengal in an average year 775000Mm of water
flows through the river systems of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra and the meghna
and their tributaries during the monsoon month i.e. from june to October
.Bangladesh receives an enormous sediment inflow during this period from the
upper catchment of this three rain rivers . The marked seasonality of river flow
in this country is responsible for erosion during the monsoon due to strong
current and sedimentation during the dry season .
The alluvial plains consisting largely of unconsolidated sediments through
out the country are not resistant to erosion to erosion by river current and wave
action. The river erosion includes shifting of the thawing towards either bank in
river meanders , creation of new channels due to under cutting and local
scouring due to turbulence caused by obstruction . Erosion is rapid on the outer
circumference of the meanders while deposition occurred on the inside loop.
sudden changes of river course known as avulsssion are common during floods
and cause rapid bank erosion.
Wind Erosion:
A risk of wind erosion occurs on Canterbury's arable soils when they are
cultivated. Wind erosion of the soil depends on several factors interacting
together before it will occur. Good farm management practices are available
which will lower the risk of wind erosion occurring.
It is not possible to classify a risk of wind erosion at a property level without a
site survey and professional interpretation of local soil and climatic factors and
management practices.
Environment Canterbury has some information and historic survey results
which could assist an assessment of wind erosion risk.
Slope Instability:
Slope instability can lead to a number of forms of land movement or erosion:
a. Mass movement such as, earth flows, land slip, slumps.
b. Fluvial movements such as, tunnel gullies, gully erosion.
The stability of a slope is governed by slope, soil type, moisture and runoff
control, vegetation type and condition and land management.
Base resource data in the form of land inventory and land capability maps were
produced in the period 1960 - 1990 for many hill and high country properties.
This mapping is at a scales ranging between 1:10,000 and 1:50,000 and will
give an indication of inherent land stability.
Environment Canterbury has some records of surveys of hill and high country
properties in its archives which may assist a qualified person to make an
assessment of the general slope stability of an area. It is not possible to assess
the stability of slopes at a property or site level without a professional
interpretation of all available information including that held by Environment
Canterbury.
Water erosion:
Water erosion is caused by the kinetic energy of raindrops impinging on
the soil surface and by mechanical force of surface runoff. Surface runoff is
caused by heavy rainfall, rainfall of long duration, and the concentration of
water in the natural or artificial hydrographic system. Bank erosion is effected
by the water of seas, rivers, lakes and ponds. In fact wherever water is in
movement it is eroding its boundaries.
Fig: Slumping
Undercutting of bank base and toppling:
Potential causes are lack of deep rooted native vegetation, wind or wave
action in larger rivers or speed of stream flow in smaller streams. Manage by
paying special attention to protecting the toe of the bank. Plant native vegetation
which does not mind wet feet. Encourage in-stream vegetation such as
macrophytes and retain snags against the bank if they are not causing erosion.
result. Access by stock, fire and the removal of riparian vegetation from along
River bank increases the problem and weakens the ability of River bank to resist
the erosive forces of increased flood flows.
Riparian vegetation helps to protect River bank from erosion. The roots
of vegetation reinforce the soil in the same way that steel rods reinforce
concrete. Fine roots are more important in this process than thick roots. Root
reinforcement by riparian vegetation is usually the most important safeguard
against bank collapse. Riparian vegetation also uses much of the water present
in River bank and improves the drainage of River bank soils. Banks often
collapse when saturated with water, so riparian vegetation, by helping to use
that water, reduces the risk of sudden collapse. Vegetation also absorbs the
erosive force of flows, preventing that force from being applied to the bank. It
also reduces the extremes of temperature and moisture variation that can loosen
sediment from the banks through swelling and shrinking of the soil.
Living Willow stakes have been set into the riverbed at regular intervals, as the
framework for weaving the rods.
The flexible Willow rods are woven in between the vertical stakes to create a
solid barrier.
The roots of the Willow stakes will provide added strength to the riverbank, and
will produce dense green growth during the summer months.