The Importance of SOIL

AND WATER
CONSERVATION

Prepared by:
RAZEL ALLAN R. VALLESER
 What is soil?
 Soil is the material found on the surface of
the earth that is composed of organic and
inorganic material.
 In agriculture soil is "a dynamic natural body
on the surface of the earth in which plants
grow, composed of mineral and organic
materials and living forms“ (N.Brady, 1974)
 In engineering soil is "all the fragmented
mineral material at or near the surface of the
earth, the moon, or other planetary body,
plus the air, water, organic matter, and other
substances which may be included therein“
(Spangler and Handy, 1982)
 What is soil conservation?
 Soil conservation is the collective efforts of groups
or individuals to improve the quality of the soil and
minimize erosion and other negative events.
 For example, soil that is eroding can be made
healthier by planting plants and grass to keep it
from washing away
 Soil conservation ensure that soil is its most
productive for the food supply and ensures that the
habitats of area wildlife are maintained while
protecting water from pollution.
 Soil conservation is generally accomplished with a
variety of management techniques.
 Includes managing surface runoff, protecting
exposed soil and protecting downstream
watercourses from pollution and sedimentation.
 Why is soil conservation important?
 Soil conservation is important because soil is crucial
for many aspects of human life as it provides food,
filters air and water and helps to decompose
biological waste into nutrients for new plant life.
 Soil can be drained away or contaminated,
destroying it for use
 Soil conversation involves working to reduce
contamination and depletion.
 Certain human activities can result in the erosion
of soil, such as land being cleared for farming or
timber which also affect the quality of the soil.
 One way to help increase quality is to rotate crops
frequently or to add materials back into the soil.
 Soil and water are necessary and
considered as the very important
resources for the life on earth,
 and these resources have a noticeable of
becoming limited and crucial as the population
increases
Almost all terrestrial life needs a
continuous water source for
sustenance.

 Successful agriculture depends

on the healthy soil and water.
Farmers need soil and water to grow
crops, crops that provide most of our
foods and fiber.
Soil must be kept in place in order to
maintain the farm yield.
 Losing topsoil, contributes to a valuable
nutrients and this will cause yield to decline
over time.
Soil and Water Conservation
Engineering

 is the application of engineering

and biological principles to the
solution of soil and water
management problems.
Combatting Soil and Water
Conservation Problems is the great
Challenge of Agricultural Engineers
and students such as BSAE and BSABE
 What are the examples of methods in
conserving soil?

Three methods of soil conservation includes:

 the prevention of soil erosion,

 reducing tillage and,
 rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing.
The prevention of soil erosion

• Soil erosion is a leading issue to

consider when maintaining healthy soil,
either for farming practices or
sustaining livestock. Wind and water
runoff can cause soil erosion, and it is
therefore important to ensure that
grass and plant life are abundant and no
physical or chemical degradation occurs.
Reducing tillage
• Tillage can negatively affect soil when crops are not
properly rotated or when nutrients are not properly
released back into the soil, causing the soil to become
compacted. By rotating crop cycles and recycling
nutrients back into the soil, tillage can be delayed or
avoided.
Rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing
• Rotational grazing can also prevent soil erosion by
eliminating or decreasing the risk of overgrazing in one
area. Giving livestock access to open pastures can also
help.
Facts about the Philippines (As of
2008):
Total land area of approximately
30 million hectares, half of which
is classified as forestlands
 47% is alienable and disposable
lands (9.63 million Ha. Are titled)
3% is unclassified forestlands
Facts about the Philippines (As of
2008):
Predominantly an agricultural land in
nature.
land areas classification:
Residential
Commercial
and agricultural.
Land Classification according to
1987 constitution:

agricultural,
 forest or timber,
 mineral lands, and
 national parks.
Land Classification Provided by
DENR:
Generally, the country is facing lot of
problems like:
 increase in population which in
turn causes also the increase in air,
water and different types of
pollution contributed to the
environment, change in the normal
weather condition or the climate
change
Problems Pertaining Soil and Water
Conservation in the Philippines
land degradation,
 water resources and
irrigation,
 drainage, and
 flooding and its control.
Land degradation and soil erosion
Land degradation
 is a process in which the value of the biophysical
environment is affected by a combination of
human-induced processes acting upon the land.
 It is also considered a reduction in the capacity of
the land to provide ecosystem goods and services.
When the soil is degrading, this will also implies
that there is a reduction in soil productivity.
Causes or factors of degradation are the
topographic variations and soil problems, human-
induced causes, and absence or poor
implementation of land use policy.
Land degradation and soil erosion

Degrade soil implies that there is

a reduction in soil productivity.
 Land degradation and soil erosion
Philippine is prone to soil degradation,
since it is a tropical country; this is due to
climate condition and the properties of soil.
According to the National Action Plan
(NAP) report, from 2004 to 2010 :
5.2-M hectares of soil are severely eroded
 8.5-M hectares are moderately eroded
Resulted in the Reduction of soil
productivity and water retention capacity to 30
to 50 percent.
 Land degradation and soil erosion
According (NAP) report, from 2004 to
2010 :
Most common type of degradation is soil
erosion
Soil erosion in the Philippine uplands is
widely regarded as the country’s most
serious environmental problem which affect
about 63—76 percent of the country’s total
land area (Paningbatan 1990).
 Land degradation and soil erosion
soil erosion problem in the Philippines is
quite pronounced with more than half of
the country's land area having a slope
exceeding eight percent (hereby defined as
the Philippine uplands).
Problem is aggravated by heavy rainfall,
improper land use and management, excessive
and improper logging, shifting cultivation and
road construction (PCARRD, 1992).
The Water Resources
Global distribution of the world’s water
• Freshwater has a
global volume of
35.2 million cubic
kilometer

Source: Greenfacts 2018

Global distribution of the world’s water
Country water availability:
Projection of Global Water Demand and trend:

Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development

Global Water Resource demand (2000-2050 Projections):

• Global water demand is projected

to increase by 55% between 2000
and 2050
• Increase mainly from
manufacturing (+400%),
electricity (+140%), and
• domestic use (+130%)
• Little increase water for irrigation
Policy options and needs:
• Governments and authorities in charge of
water management need to act to reverse the
trends
• Improving water efficiency, create incentives
for efficient water use in all sectors
– The agriculture, industry, domestic, etc

• Water storage capacities will secure access to

the resource
• Green technologies: groundwater recharging,
floodplains and wetlands restoration
Policy options and needs:
• Allocate water where it is most
needed
• Water policies need to place quantity
and quality issues on an equal
footing
• Wastewater collection coupled with
wastewater treatment
Water Resources in the Philippine Context
Irrigation and Water Resources
Majority of the country population
relies on agriculture as source of
livelihood, in which irrigation is
considered a crucial element in the
agricultural production.
 Irrigation and Water Resources
The Philippines as a whole has
more than enough surface and
groundwater.
 Irrigation and Water Resources
Water supply of the Philippines is
obtained from different sources which
include:
 rainfall, surface water resources, i.e. rivers,
lakes, and reservoirs, and groundwater
resources.
It has 18 major river basins and 421
principal river basins as defined by the
National Water Regulatory Board (NWRB).
 Irrigation and Water Resources
The country also have an extensive
groundwater reservoir with an
aggregate area of about 50,000 sq km.
Data from the Mines and Geosciences
Bureau (MGB)
show that several groundwater basins are
under laid by about 100,000 sq km of various
rock formation located in the country
 Water appropriations:
According to article 10 of the P.D.
1067, water may be appropriated
for the following purposes:
Domestic, municipal, irrigation,
power generation, fisheries, livestock
raising, industrial, recreational, and
other purposes.
 Water appropriations:
In the Philippines, there are more
than thirty agencies and offices dealing
with aspect of water resources
development.
Example: NWRB, NIA, Water district,
Power generators, others
 Irrigation System Category:
1. National irrigation systems (NIS)
 are large and medium schemes.
Basically it is controlled and
maintained by NIA, and the
beneficiaries are charged irrigation
service fee for the services
rendered in the delivery of water.
 Irrigation System Category:
2. Communal irrigation systems (CIS)
 are small-scale schemes and constructed with the
participation of farmer-beneficiaries thru their
IAs.
 The operation and maintenance of CIS is turned
over to IAs upon project completion subject to a
cost recovery arrangement.
 Farmers amortize the chargeable cost for a period
not exceeding 50 years at 0 percent interest.
 The repayment scheme is pre-arranged and
acceptable to both NIA and the IA.
 Irrigation System Category:
3. Private irrigation systems
 are those constructed, operated and
maintained by private individuals or
groups with or without technical
assistance by NIA or other government
agencies.
 Irrigation Areas in the Country:
 According to the NIA, Philippines has
about 10.3 million ha agricultural
lands.
 Out of 10.3 million ha, around 3.1
million ha are considered irrigable,
with up to 3 percent slope, and
primarily devoted to rice and corn.
 Irrigation Areas in the Country:
 A study by the World Bank,
 identified more than 6.1 M ha
as irrigable, including areas
that are relatively more difficult
to irrigate and up to 8 percent
slope
 Irrigation Development:
 As of December 2013, about 1.678 million
ha or 55.59 percent of the 3.1 million ha
have been developed for irrigation.
About:
 24.5 percent are under NIS;
 19.1 percent under CIS that are farmer-
managed; and
 6.5 percent under privately owned systems
that are constructed through private
initiatives.
 Irrigation Development:
• As observed in NIA FY 2015 GAA budget
(RA 10651),
– only 3.3 percent of the total budget is
allotted for the construction of irrigation
projects and repairs of irrigation systems or
10.3 percent of the total budget for the
operations,
– majority of the budget for operation goes to
the restorations and repairs and
maintenance of irrigation systems.
Irrigation Development:
 Irrigation Development:
As of December 31, 2014,
 the status of irrigation development in
the country is only 56.67 percent based
only on the 3 % slope criteria.
The largest development is in CAR of 92.21 %, and
the lowest development is in the ARMM of
29.17%.The
Davao region is rank as 3rd from the lowest of 43.61
percent in terms of irrigation development.
 Drainage and Flooding:
Agricultural drainage system is a system by
which the water level in the soil is
controlled to enhance agricultural crop
production.
Agriculture drainage is mainly of two types
(1). Surface drainage
(2). Sub surface drainage. However there
are some other drainage systems also.
Water logging and salinity are among
the principal causes of decreasing
production on many irrigated lands.

Waterlogging is due to an excessive

input of water into systems that
have finite natural drainage
capacities.
In the country,
the lack of drainage systems has been
identified as one major disaster risk
factor that intensifies the run-off of
water during storms and heavy rains
together with unplanned urban
development, the absence of efficient
early warning systems and ecosystem
degradation by the recent Global
Assessment report on Disaster Risk
Reduction.
Flooding cause by poor drainage
Homes besides the river bank
 Conservation measures
Appropriate technologies are needed to
enhance the economic and environmental
services provided by sloping upland areas to
resource-poor farmers and downstream
users.
technologies should be simple, affordable
and adaptable to the diverse conditions of
upland farmers and will provide a long term
benefits
 Conservation measures
slope stabilization
slope is stabilized
using Vetiver
Grass Technology
(VGT) planted
along the slope
covered with
coco-fiber nets.
 Conservation measures
SALT is a packaged
technology of
soil conservation
and food
production which
integrates several
soil conservation
measures in just
one setting.
 Conservation measures

Terracing,
conservation
tillage,
buffering
Practices or techniques that prevent the soil
against erosion through wind and water
• Soil cover- it reduces the soil erosion by
means of reducing the rainfall impact
onto the soil, it also create an increase
water infiltration and slows down the
speed of the runoff flows through the
field.
• Proper soil management-Reducing
tillage, keeping the good soil structure
and retaining soil organic matter that
help the soil intact.
Practices or techniques that prevent the soil
against erosion through wind and water
• Crop residue cover-it is considered
beneficial in minimizing soil erosion. It
reduce surface runoff velocities, improve
water infiltration, increase soil organic
matter levels, and improve the water
holding capacity of the soil.
• Increasing surface cover- use of perenial
crops, cover crops, green manure, and
solid seeded crops.
Practices or techniques that prevent the soil
against erosion through wind and water
• Planting pattern- crops are planted
in a ways that water will not easily
move between the rows.
• Vegetative barriers Planting
narrow strips of grasses on the
field contours.
 Control Measures for Irrigation and water
Resources Problems
Groundwater depletion and saline
intrusion must be prevented. According
to Dayrit of NWRBP, the withdrawal from
groundwater aquifers in recent years has
resulted in the continuous decline of
groundwater levels and in saltwater
intrusion in areas near the coast such as
Metro Manila (WRR IV), Cavite (WRR IV),
Iloilo (WRR VI) and Cebu (WRR VII).
 Control Measures for Irrigation and water
Resources Problems
Existing laws in the Philippines that protect
the water quality is not enough to
preserve the river environment.
• there must be a national policy
framework for the sustainable use of
freshwater resources, and harmonize the
development activities in areas affecting
freshwater.
 Control Measures for Irrigation and water
Resources Problems
• Rehabilitation and improvement of
irrigation systems, small water
impounding projects, and other schemes
like canal lining.
• There is a participation of IAs in the
planning, development, operation and
maintenance of irrigation systems.
• Conduct training to end users, on
efficient ways on use of irrigation water.
Control Measures for Irrigation and water
Resources Problems
Increasing water usage efficiency
proper crop selection and
techniques such as sprinkler or drip
irrigation and other options, and
the use high yield rice varieties
which does not requires more
water.
Control Measures for Drainage and Flooding
Problems
There must be a massive
cleaning of esteros and all
waterways to reduce
vulnerability to flooding and
also to strictly implement the
solid waste management law.
Control Measures for Drainage and Flooding
Problems
It is also needed that public
must be educated on simple
doable actions such as proper
waste disposal and waste
segregation.”
Control Measures for Drainage and Flooding
Problems
Implementation of
groundwater monitoring and
water balance studies will help
predict drainage requirements.
Control Measures for Drainage and Flooding
Problems
Soil salinity monitoring in problem
areas should also be started in order
to adopt practices to overcome the
problems.
In addition, pilot drainage projects
should be established in waterlogged
and salinized areas to verify the
design and effectiveness of materials.
Control Measures for Drainage and Flooding
Problems
• Providing adequate flood control and
drainage facilities in all flood-prone
areas that need protection as
determined under the national land-
usage plan,
• to organize flood reaction teams and
Bantay Estero/Ilog Brigades among
local government units
 References
1. http://foodalliance.org/about/principles-explained/soil-water-conservation
2. file:///C:/Users/Administrator/Downloads/Documents/19l%20Soil%20and%20Water%20
Conservation%20(English).pdf
3. http://www.philippinedomain.com/philippine-facts.htm
4. The Updated Philippine National Action Plan to Combat Desertification, Land
Degradation and Drought (DLDD) FY 2010‐2020, January 2010
5. Paningbatan, E.P. 1990. “Soil Erosion Problem and Control in the Philippines.” PCARRD
Soil and Water Conservation Measures and Agroforestry. Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). Los
Banos, Philippines. P. 7-15.
6. Hermina A Francisco and Marian S de Los Angeles, SOIL RESOURCE DEPRECIATION AND
DEFORESTATION: Philippine case study in resource accounting1
7. Asian Development Bank (ADB) (August 2009). "Country Environmental Analysis for
Philippines". Retrieved 2008-04-16.
8. Asian Development Bank; Asia-Pacific Water Forum (2007). "Country Paper Philippines.
Asian Water Development Outlook 2007". Retrieved 2008-04-14., p. 4
9. Greenpeace. The state of water resources in the Philippines, October 2007
10. file:///F:/THE%20PHILIPPINES%20%20FORMULATION%20OF%20A%20NATIONAL%20WA
TER%20VISION%20-%20Hector%20Dayrit.htm
Thank You