Agricultural/Bioengineering Soil and Water Conservation Engineering 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of erosion is caused by the impact of raindrops on exposed soil?
- Sheet erosion
- Rill erosion
- Splash erosion (Correct answer)
- Gully erosion
Correct answer: Splash erosion
Splash erosion occurs when raindrop impact detaches and disperses soil particles.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of a contour bund in soil conservation?
- Increase soil nitrogen
- Intercept and slow runoff on slopes (Correct answer)
- Drain excess water from fields
- Prevent weed growth
Correct answer: Intercept and slow runoff on slopes
Contour bunds are earthen embankments built along the contour to intercept runoff and reduce erosion.
Question 3: The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) factor 'C' represents which parameter?
- Slope length
- Crop management (Correct answer)
- Conservation practice
- Soil erodibility
Correct answer: Crop management
The C factor in USLE represents the cover and management factor related to cropping and tillage practices.
Question 4: Which irrigation method has the highest water use efficiency in field crops?
- Flood irrigation
- Furrow irrigation
- Drip irrigation (Correct answer)
- Sprinkler irrigation
Correct answer: Drip irrigation
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the root zone, typically achieving 90–95% efficiency.
Question 5: What does the term 'field capacity' refer to in soil-water relationships?
- Maximum water a soil can hold before runoff
- Water content after free drainage has ceased (Correct answer)
- Minimum water needed for crop germination
- Osmotic potential of soil water
Correct answer: Water content after free drainage has ceased
Field capacity is the soil moisture content remaining after excess water has drained away under gravity.
Question 6: A grassed waterway is used primarily to:
- Increase crop yield in low areas
- Safely convey runoff without causing erosion (Correct answer)
- Improve soil aeration
- Reduce fertilizer leaching
Correct answer: Safely convey runoff without causing erosion
Grassed waterways are vegetated channels designed to carry concentrated runoff at non-erosive velocities.
Agricultural/Bioengineering Soil and Water Conservation Engineering 1
Which type of erosion is caused by the impact of raindrops on exposed soil?