Impact Evaluation of Sediment Deposition on Arable Lands of Yola and Environs of Adamawa State, Nigeria
Publication Date: 01/03/2020
Author(s): A.A Sadiq, B.A Faruk.
Volume/Issue: Volume 3 , Issue 1 (2020)
Abstract:
Sediment depositions on farmlands are among the contemporary hydrogeo-phyiscal process affecting arable lands in most flood prone areas of the world which is receiving ardent attention of research. Arable lands in Yola are seriously receiving continuous sediment depositions which have affected the farming activities. Thus, the study saddled to evaluate the impact sediment deposition on arable lands of Yola and environs. The research consists of three phases. Used of structured questionnaires administered to the farmers, second phase involved direct on-field measurement of depth and width of sediment deposition and the third phase consist of textural class determination of soil samples in the laboratory. The results obtained from the five selected areas shown that Yolde pate, Wuro-chekke and Anguwan Tabo farm locations loamy clay sediments were deposited to an average depth ranges from 25cm-75cm over period of 10-19 years covering about 15-60 hectares of land where irrigation farming are intensively carried out which has positive impact on their farming activities. Conversely, Mbamba and Bole farm locations were assessed having coarse sandy sediment depositions over fertile clayey soil to an average depth of 35-40 cm for a period of 5-7 years wrapping a range of 2-9 hectares of fertile land with a negative impact of 60 % damaged of their productivity. For the infertile deposit of sediment on farm land, it is therefore recommending the potential management practices (chisel and moldboard ploughs), preventive management (improving infiltration rate and minimizing runoff) and conservation practices (dikes, levees, channels constructions) respectively.
