Assessment of Erosion Control Measures A Case Study of Birnin Kebbi, Nigeria

Abstract

The research was carried out to assess the erosion control measures in Birnin Kebbi. The Research was conducted in an area affected by flow of water causing erosion leading to gully type. Widths of the eroded area were used as basis for observation for the research. The depth of the eroded area varies considerably from upstream to downstream. Downstream is shallow which is due to deposit of materials while upstream is as deep as 2m or more in some areas. Gabion, dyke and five (5) species of grasses that include Bahama Grass Cynodon dactylon, Sicklepod Cassia obtusifolia, Leptadenia specie Leptadenia lancifolia ,Castor plant Ricinus communis and lovegrass Eragrostis tremula were used as erosion control measures for the research. The control measures were assessed for three consecutive years from 2013 to 2016 and the results of the research shows an average width increment of 1.08m for dyke and 0.92m for gabion while the area treated with vegetation has width increment of 0.62m and 0.55m for grass combination of three and five respectively. The result shows that area treated with grasses as control measures has less increment compared with the remaining areas where dykes and gabion were used as control measures. The Year 2016 has maximum effect for all the measures used for control as a result of high rain fall for the year.