Simulations of Runoff using Rice Straw Mats and Soil Amendments

Abstract

The objective of this research was to experimentally test the effect of rice straw mats on the reduction of runoff, sediment discharge and turbidity under a laboratory scale. We used the small runoff plots of 1 m <TEX>${\times}$</TEX> 1 m <TEX>${\times}$</TEX> 0.65 m (<TEX>$L{\times}W{\times}H$</TEX>) in size filled with loamy sand. Experimental treatments were bare (control), rice straw mat cover of straw mats + PAM + Gypsum (SPG), rice straw mats + Chaff + PAM + Gypsum (SCPG) and rice straw mats + Sawdust + PAM + Gypsum (SSPG); slope of 10 % or 20 %; and rainfall intensity of 30 mm/hr. Runoff volume and rate of covered plots were significantly lower than those of control plot. Average runoff rate of covered plots, slope of 10 % and 20 %, decreased 85.6 % and 72 % in respectively. Sediment reduction ratio was more than 99 % regardless of slope. The differences runoff and sediment discharge among different cover materials were not significant. It was also shown that even if runoff reduction by surface cover were low, sediment discharge reduction could be very significant and contribute to improve the water quality of streams in sloping agricultural regions. It was concluded that the use of straw mat and soil amendments (PAM and Gypsum) on sloping agricultural fields could reduce soil erosion and muddy runoff significantly and help improve the water quality and aquatic ecosystem in receiving waters. But mixing effect of PAM and Gypsum was minimal.