Section 4: Soil and Water Conservation Engineering
Terraces, Bunds & Vegetative Waterways
Subtopic: Broad-base vs narrow-base terrace
Question Statement:
A major operational advantage of broad-base terraces over narrow-base terraces on gently sloping farmland is:
Options:
(A) Farming operations and tractors can cross and cultivate the entire ridge and channel area
(B) They can be constructed on slopes steeper than $30\%$
(C) They eliminate the requirement for any vegetative waterways
(D) They require zero maintenance after construction
Answer Key:
A
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
Broad-base terraces have very gentle side slopes (usually $4:1$ or flatter) with widths of $8-15\text{ m}$, allowing farm equipment, tractors, and combine harvesters to cross and cultivate the entire ridge without taking land out of production.