TY - JOUR T1 - Conservation management effects on soil erosion reduction in the Sichuan Basin, China JF - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation SP - 144 LP - 147 VL - 56 IS - 2 AU - G. Liu AU - M.J. Lindstrom AU - X. Zhang AU - Y. Li AU - J. Zhang Y1 - 2001/04/01 UR - http://www.jswconline.org/content/56/2/144.abstract N2 - Water erosion is a serious production problem in the Sichuan province of southwest China. Landscapes are topographically complex with slope gradients up to 40% used for crop production. The present recommended procedure for controlling soil erosion has been through terrace construction. However as slope gradients become greater than 10%, construction costs become prohibitive. Prior research has shown a reduction in water runoff and soil erosion using contour management. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of two contour management systems with the customary up and downslope tillage and planting (ST) on water runoff, soil erosion, and crop production. Exprimental sites were establisbed at five locations in Sichuan province. The two contour systems evaluated were a ridge and furrow system established every three years with a no-till planting on the ridge (CTN) for the summer crop and a ridge and furrow system established annually (CT) for the summer crop. The CTN treatment was more effective than CT in reducing water runoff (P =0.05) at all locations but only significantly more effective in reducing soil erosion at three of the five sites. The contour management systems (CTN and CT) show a significant reduction in water runoff and soil erosion when compared to ST. An estimated practice (P) factor of 0.31 and 0.50 was calculated for the CTN and CT treatments. However, two of the five sites were still experiencing a high rate of soil erosion with contour management, indicating that further erosion control measures may be required. ER -