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Technologies
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Small Watershed Comprehensive Development [China]

  • Creation:
  • Update:
  • Compiler:
  • Editor:
  • Reviewer:

Integrated administration/control of small basin

technologies_973 - China

Completeness: 61%

1. General information

1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Key resource person(s)

SLM specialist:
Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)
Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) - China

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

22/05/2002

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches

Small Watershed Comprehensive Control
approaches

Small Watershed Comprehensive Control [China]

Controlling a small watershed comprehensively with structural, vegetative, management, and agronomic measures based on harvesting area of ground water and underground water, to improve the production and conservation of land.

  • Compiler: Jun XIA

2. Description of the SLM Technology

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Controlling a small watershed comprehensively with structural, vegetative, management, and agronomic measures based on harvesting area of ground water and underground water, to improve the production and conservation of land.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Over several decades of SWC practices, a successful experience of SWC has been concluded, that is Small Watershed Comprehensive Development. The main aim is regarded a small watershed as a control unit for soil and water conservation. The approach is to control soil and water loss comprehensively by structural measure combining vegetative, agronomic and management measures. Specifically:
1. Agronomic method/measure: contour cultivation, area closure, and green manure
2. Vegetative method/measure: plant trees, grass, grass strip, windbreaks and reforestation
3. Structural method/measures: terrace, ands, small reservoir, and dams
4. Land use management/measure: grazing, area closure, and land use change

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

Country:

China

Region/ State/ Province:

Hubei

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:
  • more than 50 years ago (traditional)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:
  • through projects/ external interventions
Comments (type of project, etc.):

From 1950's, China began to work on integrated control of watershed based on the long term experiences of the mass's practices in SWC.

3. Classification of the SLM Technology

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

  • protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Cropland

Cropland

  • Annual cropping
Main crops (cash and food crops):

Winter wheat - rice, or cole - rice.

Forest/ woodlands

Forest/ woodlands

  • Economic forest with small water comprehensiv effect
Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): In the mountainous area, land users always open up wasteland along slopes to improve/increase the productivity, but these lands tend to increase in the soil loss. In my opinion, in these areas land users should plant trees to develop economy, increase the annual productivity to improve the economy.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): The land users become to realize the importance of maintaining ecological balance, so many of them are now acting to plant trees and stopping overgrazing in the areas.

Grazingland comments: More recently, SWC areas are closed, calling for stall feeding.

Problems / comments regarding forest use: Developing more fruit trees and economic woodland.

Type of grazing system comments: More recently, SWC areas are closed, calling for stall feeding.

3.3 Further information about land use

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:
  • rainfed
Comments:

Water supply also mixed rainfed - irrigated

Number of growing seasons per year:
  • 3
Specify:

Longest growing period in days: 90Longest growing period from month to month: Jul - SepSecond longest growing period in days: 60Second longest growing period from month to month: May - Jun

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

  • surface water management (spring, river, lakes, sea)

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:
  • evenly spread over an area
If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:
  • 10-100 km2
Comments:

Total area covered by the SLM Technology is 39.8 m2.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

agronomic measures

agronomic measures

  • A6: Others
vegetative measures

vegetative measures

  • V2: Grasses and perennial herbaceous plants
structural measures

structural measures

  • S1: Terraces
  • S5: Dams, pans, ponds
  • S7: Water harvesting/ supply/ irrigation equipment
management measures

management measures

  • M1: Change of land use type
Comments:

Type of agronomic measures: early planting, zero tillage / no-till, minimum tillage, contour tillage

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

soil erosion by water

soil erosion by water

  • Wt: loss of topsoil/ surface erosion
chemical soil deterioration

chemical soil deterioration

  • Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content (not caused by erosion)
Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Wt: loss of topsoil / surface erosion, Cn: fertility decline and reduced organic matter content

Main causes of degradation: deforestation / removal of natural vegetation (incl. forest fires), poverty / wealth (Lack of captial)

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:
  • reduce land degradation

4. Technical specifications, implementation activities, inputs, and costs

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Technical knowledge required for field staff / advisors: low

Technical knowledge required for land users: moderate

Main technical functions: control of raindrop splash, control of dispersed runoff: retain / trap, control of concentrated runoff: retain / trap, control of concentrated runoff: impede / retard, control of concentrated runoff: drain / divert, reduction of slope angle, improvement of ground cover, increase of surface roughness, increase in organic matter, increase of infiltration, increase / maintain water stored in soil, water harvesting / increase water supply, sediment retention / trapping, sediment harvesting, increase in soil fertility, improvement of soil structure

Early planting
Material/ species: velamen
Quantity/ density: Row

Zero tillage / no-till
Material/ species: On the slope lands where have

Minimum tillage
Material/ species: On the slopes where have

Trees/ shrubs species: pine

Slope (which determines the spacing indicated above): 28.00%

If the original slope has changed as a result of the Technology, the slope today is (see figure below): 15.00%

Gradient along the rows / strips: 60.00%

Slope (which determines the spacing indicated above): 28.00%

If the original slope has changed as a result of the Technology, the slope today is: 15.00%

Lateral gradient along the structure: 40.00%

For water harvesting: the ratio between the area where the harvested water is applied and the total area from which water is collected is: 1:5.00

Vegetation is used for stabilisation of structures.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify currency used for cost calculations:
  • US Dollars
Indicate average wage cost of hired labour per day:

1.70

4.4 Establishment activities

Activity Type of measure Timing
1. plant fence beside terrace Vegetative 1965
2. terrace Structural 1968
3. small reservior Structural 1959

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

Duration of establishment phase: 84 month(s)

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

Activity Type of measure Timing/ frequency
1. conserving soil and planting crops Agronomic seeding season / annual
2. improve fertilizer Agronomic winter, spring /
3. increase fertilizer Agronomic seeding season /
4. Cutting fence, planting Vegetative fall /annual
5. terrace Structural leisure/annual
6. small reservior Structural winter/annual

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

Comments:

It is estimated from the management in local area.

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Much money is needed to build terraces if hill slope is steeper.

5. Natural and human environment

5.1 Climate

Annual rainfall
  • < 250 mm
  • 251-500 mm
  • 501-750 mm
  • 751-1,000 mm
  • 1,001-1,500 mm
  • 1,501-2,000 mm
  • 2,001-3,000 mm
  • 3,001-4,000 mm
  • > 4,000 mm
Agro-climatic zone
  • humid

5.2 Topography

Slopes on average:
  • flat (0-2%)
  • gentle (3-5%)
  • moderate (6-10%)
  • rolling (11-15%)
  • hilly (16-30%)
  • steep (31-60%)
  • very steep (>60%)
Landforms:
  • plateau/plains
  • ridges
  • mountain slopes
  • hill slopes
  • footslopes
  • valley floors
Altitudinal zone:
  • 0-100 m a.s.l.
  • 101-500 m a.s.l.
  • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
  • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
  • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
  • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
  • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
  • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
  • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
Comments and further specifications on topography:

Landforms also valley floors and footslopes

5.3 Soils

Soil depth on average:
  • very shallow (0-20 cm)
  • shallow (21-50 cm)
  • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
  • deep (81-120 cm)
  • very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil):
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
Topsoil organic matter:
  • medium (1-3%)
If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Soil fertility; medium

Soil drainage / infiltration: good

Soil water storage capacity: low

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Off-farm income:
  • > 50% of all income
Relative level of wealth:
  • average
  • rich
Level of mechanization:
  • animal traction
  • mechanized/ motorized
Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Population density: 100-200 persons/km2

Annual population growth: < 0.5%

80% of the land users are rich and own 100% of the land (Lease bared land).

Off-farm income specification: It is much different between whose who have SWC practice and not involved in the SWC. Those who take part in the SWC implementation can get much benefits than whose who not.

Level of mechanization: animal traction: Land in the mountain areas are very small, tilled using animal labor, some are tilled by tractor.

Level of mechanization: mechanized/motorized: If area of land is large enough for tractor.

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:
  • state
Land use rights:
  • individual

6. Impacts and concluding statements

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

surface runoff

increased
decreased
Quantity before SLM:

40

Quantity after SLM:

20

Soil

soil loss

increased
decreased
Quantity before SLM:

570

Quantity after SLM:

60

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?
Short-term returns:

positive

Long-term returns:

very positive

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?
Short-term returns:

positive

Long-term returns:

very positive

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

138 Households

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?
  • 10-50%
Comments:

90% of land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

80 land user families have adopted the Technology with external material support

Comments on acceptance with external material support: estimates

30% of land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

58 land user families have adopted the Technology without any external material support

Comments on spontaneous adoption: estimates

There is a strong trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

Comments on adoption trend: More and more peasants and local government become to understand the advantages. They would use these technologies. Meanwhile they also want to get help from the government.

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