Chapter 8
Sediment-Storage Effects of Check-Dam
System in the Small Watershed
Abstract The building of check-dams is one of the most effective measures for
the conservation of soil and water on the Loess Plateau of China, and the hydrosedimentologic balance is the most important factor influencing the relative stability
of the check-dam systems. This means that soil and water in the small watersheds
controlled by the check-dams will be absorbed internally, without the need of raising the height of the dams, if some given parameters have reached certain values.
A runoff simulation experiment for a single check-dam and a rainfall simulation
experiment for the whole check-dam system had been conducted to simulate the
induced morphological changes affecting the stability of check dam systems. The
results indicate that the main reasons causing the check-dam to show good relative
stability are the enlargement of the dam-land area, the alleviation of erosion by the
check-dam, and the auto-stabilizing mechanism of the gullies.
Keywords Loess Plateau · Check-dam · Relative stability · Model experiment ·
Simulation
8.1 Relative Stability and Optimum Programming
of Check Dams on the Loess Plateau
The Loess Mesa Ravine Region and the Loess Hill Ravine Region, covering
200,000 km
2 of the Loess Plateau in China, are areas with the highest erosion rates
on earth. The best method of conserving soil and water in these areas is to construct check dam systems in gullies. Currently, more than 100,000 check dams have
been built in these regions and the amount of sediments retained by check dams is
the largest among all measures (Xu et al. 2004a). Moreover, the Chinese Ministry
of Water Resources is planning to construct an additional 163,300 check dams in
this area before 2020 (MWRC 2003). Establishing an optimal design and sequence
to construct check dams would accelerate the construction of check dam systems,
reduce the engineering costs, and enhance sediment retention in the local watershed
(Tian et al. 2003; Wu and Huang 1995). Such an optimal design would generate the
number, location and capacity of check dams for a watershed, and the erosion rate
in the controlled area.
© Science Press and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
X. Xu et al., Experimental Erosion,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3801-8_8
113
Sediment-Storage Effects of Check-Dam
System in the Small Watershed
Abstract The building of check-dams is one of the most effective measures for
the conservation of soil and water on the Loess Plateau of China, and the hydrosedimentologic balance is the most important factor influencing the relative stability
of the check-dam systems. This means that soil and water in the small watersheds
controlled by the check-dams will be absorbed internally, without the need of raising the height of the dams, if some given parameters have reached certain values.
A runoff simulation experiment for a single check-dam and a rainfall simulation
experiment for the whole check-dam system had been conducted to simulate the
induced morphological changes affecting the stability of check dam systems. The
results indicate that the main reasons causing the check-dam to show good relative
stability are the enlargement of the dam-land area, the alleviation of erosion by the
check-dam, and the auto-stabilizing mechanism of the gullies.
Keywords Loess Plateau · Check-dam · Relative stability · Model experiment ·
Simulation
8.1 Relative Stability and Optimum Programming
of Check Dams on the Loess Plateau
The Loess Mesa Ravine Region and the Loess Hill Ravine Region, covering
200,000 km
2 of the Loess Plateau in China, are areas with the highest erosion rates
on earth. The best method of conserving soil and water in these areas is to construct check dam systems in gullies. Currently, more than 100,000 check dams have
been built in these regions and the amount of sediments retained by check dams is
the largest among all measures (Xu et al. 2004a). Moreover, the Chinese Ministry
of Water Resources is planning to construct an additional 163,300 check dams in
this area before 2020 (MWRC 2003). Establishing an optimal design and sequence
to construct check dams would accelerate the construction of check dam systems,
reduce the engineering costs, and enhance sediment retention in the local watershed
(Tian et al. 2003; Wu and Huang 1995). Such an optimal design would generate the
number, location and capacity of check dams for a watershed, and the erosion rate
in the controlled area.
© Science Press and Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
X. Xu et al., Experimental Erosion,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3801-8_8
113