Dependable Water Supplies from Valley Alluvium in Arid Regions |
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Authors: | Bruce P Van Haveren |
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Institution: | (1) U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | Reliable sources of high-quality water for domestic use are much needed in arid regions. Valley alluvium, coarse sand and
gravel deposited by streams and rivers, provides an ideal storage medium for water in many regions of the world. However,
river sediments will not accumulate in a valley without a natural or artificial barrier to slow the water. Sediments will
deposit upstream of a barrier dam and form an alluvial deposit of relatively well-sorted material. The alluvium then acts
as both an underground water-supply reservoir and a water filter, yielding a constant flow of high-quality water. Trap dams
that store water in alluvial sediments and slowly release the filtered water represent an appropriate and inexpensive technology
for combating desertification and mitigating the effects of drought at the community level. Small trap dams may be built as
a community project using local materials and local labor. |
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Keywords: | appropriate technology arid lands barrier dams dependable water water requirements |
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