Design of two proposals for soil conservation works to mitigate damage in a land with gully-type erosion problems, Los Santos area, Costa Rica

Abstract

The conservation of the soil resource represents a preventive measure in the adequate use for current and future populations, however, in recent years the impact of climate change is increasingly common; with damage are tangible and often difficult to overcome. Additionally, producers do not always have the tools and technical support to make a combined use of the productive practice with soil conservation and this prevents preventive actions in the face of accelerated soil erosion by water. In this article, two design proposals for soil conservation works are presented that seek to mitigate the damage present on a farm in San Pedro Tarrazú, Costa Rica, where the problem of gully-type soil erosion is found. Hydrological variables and characteristics of the soil under study were determined to calculate soil loss by means of the universal soil loss equation (RUSLE), resulting in an average soil loss of 20.54 tons per hectare per year. year. Hence, the implementation of the designed conservation works is the key to significantly reduce soil loss. These works consisted of the design of terraces, trap-type infiltration ditches, live barriers, contour crops and trees for shade and soil tying.