The Effect of Check Dams and Changing Land Uses on the Productivity of Catchment Sediments in Yusmerg(Jammu and Kashmir)

Reforestation and the cessation of agricultural activity have resulted in significant changes to land use in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir. on parallel, the Administration invests a significant amount of money on hydrological control projects to lessen silt transport and erosion. Nevertheless, it is still unknown how these significant changes in land use will impact catchment-scale erosion processes and whether effective hydrological control will lessen the export of silt. To assess the effects of land use scenarios with and without sediment control facilities (check-dams) on sediment yield at the catchment scale, a combination of field work, mapping, and modeling was employed. The study catchment is in Kashmir, where there have been significant changes in land use that have resulted in a decrease in agricultural area and an increase in forest cover. In addition, as part of the related reforestation efforts, numerous check-dams were built in the watershed.