Cultivation across the slope; avoidance of downhill furrows and lanes
The development of runoff routes can be prevented and retention can be improved on slightly sloping terrain by cultivating farmland across the slope along contours. Ideally, the soil should be farmed in a chequerboard pattern to control and slow down the flow of surface water. In principle, the avoidance of downhill lanes, the creation of preferential runoff paths is prevented. In forested areas runoff concentration can be minimised by avoiding logging trails in slope direction.
Additionally to flood risk reduction by slowing and storing surface runoff, these measures have medium or high possible benefits for the following biophysical impacts and ecosystem services: Increase infiltration and/or groundwater recharge; Reduce erosion and/or sediment delivery; Improve soils; Filtration of pollutants
Check out the RAINMAN good practice examples:
no good practice example available
READ MORE:
- Office International de l’Eau (2015): Natural Water Retention Measures, URL: http://nwrm.eu (19.03.2020): strip cropping along contours
- Norbert Billern, André Assmann, Jessica Kempf, Heike Puhlmann (2018): Land-und forstwirtschaftliche Maßnahmen zur Stärkung des Wasser-und Bodenrückhalts in Kommunen, URL: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324797743_Land-und_forstwirtschaftliche_Massnahmen_zur_Starkung_des_Wasser-und_Bodenruckhalts_in_Kommunen (19.03.2020): Querbewirtschaftung, Streifensaat
- Amt der Oberösterreichischen Landesregierung (2015): Hangwassermanagement Maßnahmenkatalog [management of pluvial floods catalogue of measures] (unpublished brochure, online version accessible at URL: https://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/222593.htm): Anbau quer zum Hang
Saxon State Office for Environment, Agriculture and Geology
