Article Sidebar

Submitted
January 13, 2009
Published
June 16, 2009
Download
PDF
Statistic
Read Counter : 41 Download : 47

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Main Article Content

Abstract

Four stations  were selected in Sewa river catchment,  district  Kathua, J&K for soil studies  for 2 years on monthly basis.  Geologically and from pH studies have revealed  acidic character of soils.  The soils are  mostly clay-loam   in texture.  Most of its  parts  is barren  and  soil  moisture   is  accounted   from persistent  snow cover on high peaks and frequent rain for 8  months during  the year.  Moisture ranges between  8.73%  to  12.90%  in  all profiles  and  results  in  high  ingress  of water.  The  loss  of nutrition among SiO,, Al,0,, Tio, Fe,0,,  CaO, MgO, Na,0 and K,O and MnO by chemical analysis,  revealed that TiO,,  Fe,O,,  Na  and  K get depleted  from composite  samples  and  as such  need  compensation. Al,O,  and MnO get added to the composite  soils, because of excessive erosion usually common most of the Himalayan  catchments.  SiO,, Ca0 and MgO do not  show any  impoverishment   in composite samples  and  remain  almost  same  in  both in-situ  and  composite  samples.  Organic  carbon  too,  in  all the four profiles  indicates  uniform  distribution.  The present  studies  shows  soil of catchment  area of River  Sewa  moderately  to  highly  degraded   and  prone  to  soil  erosion,  landslides   and  rock  falls• leading  ultimately to loss  of nutrients  essential  for maintaining  the fertility of the soil. The catchment areas  should   properly be  forested,  planted with  long  rooted  grass  and  vetiver  grass  to  control erosion.  Various land management  practices, such  as  mixed cropping,  intercropping,  strip  cropping, rotational cropping,   mulching,  application  of organic  manures  will  go  a long  way  to reduce  soil erosion  and  conserve  sub-soil  moisture  effectively.

Keywords

Soil, Sewa river Catchment Kathua district Erosion

Article Details

License

Copyright (c) 2009 Environment Conservation Journal

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite
Fotedar, A., & Raina, A. K. (2009). Physico-chemical status of soil between Lowang to Gatti, Sewa catchment, Kathua District, J&K. Environment Conservation Journal, 10(1&2), 63–75. https://doi.org/10.36953/ECJ.2009.101211
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC

References

  1. Albrecht, WA. and Smith, G.E., 1952. Trans. Ind. Soc. Soi! Sci Comm. II and IV; 1: 19.
  2. APHA, 1998. Standard Method for the Examination of Water and Waste Water (20th Ed.). Am. Public Health Assoc., Washington.
  3. Champion, H.G. and Seth, H.K., 1968. Forests of India. Govt. of India Publ. Division, New Delhi. pp: 104. Dhar, B.L., Raina, AK., Fotedar, B.K. and Singh, R., 1996. Petrology of Doda-Granites, Jammu, Lesser Himalaya. Ind. J. Nepal Geol. Soc., 13: 49-56.
  4. Fotedar, A., 2006. Ecological Studies of River Sewa and Its Catchment (J&K). Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Jammu University, Jammu.
  5. Fotedar, B.K. and Loan, B.A., 2004. Physico-chemical studies of Jajjar nallah waters, District Udhampur, Jammu Himalaya. Sem. Geohazards of North-West Himalaya, held in Jammu University, Jammu from 9th to 11th October, 2004 (Abstract).
  6. Horowitz, A., 1974. The geochemistry of sediments from the Northern ReykJanes Ridge and the lceland• Faeroes Ridge. Marime Geology. 17: 103-122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0025-3227(74)90051-6
  7. Lavania, U.C., 2004. Vetiver system ecotechnology for environmental protection and sustainable development. Curr. Sci., 86(1): 11-14.
  8. Nesbitt, H. W. and Young, G.H., 1982. Early protcrozoic climates and plate motions inferred from major element chemistry oflutites. Nature, 299: 715-717. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/299715a0
  9. Puri, GS. and Gupta, A.C., 1951. Himalayan conifers-II.The ecology of humus in conifer forest in Kulu Himalaya. Ind. For., 77. 124-129.
  10. Rao, K, 2002. Soil erosion and conservation. Environment and People. pp: 23-26.
  11. Ray Choudhury, S.P. and Dutta, N.P., 1964. Phosphorus and potassium status of Indian soil. ICAR Review Series Bull., 36: 43.
  12. Shapiro, L. and Brunnock, W.W., 1956. Rapid Analysis of Silicate Rocks (Revised) from Circular 165 USGS Bull. 1936-C, I 9-56.
  13. Tiko0, V.J, 2004. Geological Aspects of Environmental Degradation Along the National Highway-IA Between Jammu and Banihal, J&K State. Ph.D. Thesis, Jammu University (unpublished). Vogel, I. Arthur., 1962. A Textbook of Quantitative Inorganic Analysis. 3rd Ed.
  14. Wazir, PK., 1984. Physico-chemical Studies of Soils from Bhaderwah Forests, Jammu. M.Phil. Dissertation, Jammu University (unpublished).
  15. Wedepohl, K.H., 1978. Handbook of Geochemistry. Springer Verlag Hedelberg.
  16. Wilde, S.A., 1958. Forest Soils, Their Properties in Relation to Si'lviculture. The Ronald Press Co., New York.