Abstract:
Soil erosion problems are among the factors that have contributed to the reduction of soil
fertility in Ethiopia. This initiated the Government and foreign partners to emphasize on
soil and water conservation measure in severely eroded areas. However, the performances
of soil and water conservation measures vary in their effectiveness in conserving soil and
water resources thereby affecting soil physicochemical properties. The study was
conducted in Dega Damot District, Agemi watershed, North West, Ethiopia with the
objective of evaluating effects of soil and water conservation practices on selected soil
physicochemical properties. A total of 27 soil samples collected from the top 20 cm soil
depth were prepared and analyzed in the laboratory following standard procedures. The
mean difference of soil physiochemical properties were tested by two ways analysis of
variance. The Results of the study revealed that sand and Clay content, total porosity, PH,
OM, TN, Av.P, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and CEC were significantly different (p < 0. 05 or p
<0.01) on farmland treated with stone faced soil bund and soil bund compared to the
unconserved plots as well as between three slope class. In contrast silt content, percent of
base saturation and exchangeable sodium were not significantly (p > 0. 05) affected by
conservation practice. Conserved farmland as well as lower slope class demonstrated
higher mean values on those most soil chemical properties than upper slope class and
untreated farmland. Whereas lowest mean value of clay content, total porosity as well as
most chemical properties of soil and higher mean value of bulk density and clay content
were observed on untreated farm land and upper slope class than treated one. From this
study it was possible lo conclude that stone faced soil bund and soil bund improve soil
physicochemical properties. Therefore Soil conservation activities should be scaled up in
the study area and implemented in to untreated land and other areas of the district to
improve soil fertility status
Key words: Conservation practice, Cultivated land, Land degradation , Soil properties.