From Kalyani:
My part of the initial research involves looking at the causes of and solutions for controlling erosion. I've been reading reports of studies which explore different options for planting, mulching, and erosion control products, as well as a book specifically about erosion in the tropics, Soil erosion in the tropics: priniciples and management, by Rattan Lal (1990). This has been a great resource in helping to learn specifically about erosion in warmer climates, and it also outlines some solutions with diagrams and graphs of the results. I've also been reading about the soil of Cape Verde, since the soil of the area is integral to how erosion occurs.
What I've learned so far: the Cape Verdean islands formed as a result of volcanic activity, and there are frequent droughts, sometimes lasting upwards of fifteen years. The mountains receive about 8cm of rainfall yearly, and the coast is much drier, with 1.5 cm yearly. Many strategies for erosion control have already been integrated into the Cape Verdean landscape, such as rock terraces and planting acacia trees to hold the soil together.
Links:“UUSC aids cooperatives in Cape Verde,” Cape Verdean News, February 5, 1987 Soil & Tillage Research 55 (2000) 207-212
From Zehra:
As initial research, I have been reading about major dams both domestic and abroad to collect information on the characteristics of an efficient dam. This is to help our team come up with various solutions, and eventually a model to prevent soil erosion around the Poilao Dam, as well as for when Cape Verde constructs new dams for crop irrigation and frequent droughts.
Abroad: The Aswan Dam in Cairo, Egypt along the Nile Delta, and the Hirakud Dam in India. Both dams are used for crop irrigation, hydroelectric power, and flood control. Both of these dams have led to the creation of artificial lake reservoirs that have been useful but face the challenge of soil erosion and deterioration, and as a result, various soil conservation methods have been proposed and employed that can be considered for the Poilao dam.
Domestic: The Lemon Dam in Colorado has faced issues with hillslope erosion and debris flowing into drainage basins, which has led several groups to come up with mitigation techniques. There will be more updates on these specific techniques as I continue investigate these dams.
Links:
Smith E., Scot. “Coastal Erosion along the Egyptian Delta,” Journal of Coastal Research, Vol. 4, No 2 (Springs, 1988), pp. 245-255.http://www.jstor.org/stable/
Kumar, Kanti. “Management of Water in Hirakud Dam Project.” Wordpress. February 1989. http://bitscape.files.
Choudhary, Pranab. “Floods, Fields and Factories: Towards Resolving Conflicts around the Hirakud Dam.” Odisha State Resource Centre. Maharashtra: August 2012. http://www.academia.edu/
deWolfe, V. G.; Santi, P. M.; Ey, J.; Gartner, J. E “Effective mitigation of debris flows at Lemon Dam, La Plata County, Colorado.” 2008. Geomorphology, 96: 366 – 377. http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/
Aswan Dam:
Hirakud Dam:
Lemon Dam:
From Mackenzie:
I have been researching vegetation strategies for soil erosion management. I have learned about the functional uses of vegetation in mitigating erosion, and the characteristics of different plant types and their suitability for various sites and applications. I have also developed some guidelines for maximizing the benefits of vegetation, such as criteria for choosing the appropriate species for a site, and vegetation management practices. I am beginning to look into specific drought-tolerant plant species native to West Africa. I also need to do more research on erosion control techniques on road cuts.
From Fiona:
My research has been focused on how soil bioengineering can stop erosion surrounding the Poilao dam. There are many techniques, ranging from adding a layer of willow stalks to the slope, to actually planting willows and other vegetation in a way that will combat soil erosion, to adding a wall of rock to the land-water contact point. At this point in my research I am trying to fully grasp each concept in order to determine the feasibility of each technique as it relates to this specific dam and the very unique environment of Cape Verde. My next steps will be to evaluate the cost of each technique and also to find out what kind of vegetation is already present on the slope (similar to Mack's goals).
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