Analysis of the Impact of Soil on Gully Erosion in Tumfure, Gombe Urban, Gombe State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of soil on gully erosion in Tumfure, Gombe urban, Gombe State Nigeria. The specific objectives are: to determine whether some properties of the soil in Tumfure enhance gully erosion, identify and map out the areas affected by gully, measure the morphologies of the gully sites and assess the impact of the gully erosion in the area. Data used in this study were derived from field measurements, satellite imageries, and field investigation. The study used laboratory and Arc GIS software for the analysis. Laboratory analysis of soil particle size revealed that the mean particle distribution of soil texture along the gully wall shows sand 73%, silt 17% and clay 8%. Sand has significant relationship with gully advancement. Soil chemical properties also showed that the soils are slightly acidic (top layer) and moderately acidic, contained low organic matter. Results from the interpretation of satellite imageries (2005) and (2016) imageries and field measurements showed that gully variables (length, depth and widths) have significantly increased in the last 12 years. The study showed that the socioeconomic impact of gully erosion includes loss of lives and properties where over 100 houses were either at the verge of collapse or destruction, displacement of people, destruction of road networks and culverts. The study recommends, among others, that enlightenment campaign on soil conservation measures, cheap and effective methods such as biological and engineering measures of controlling as well as preventing gully erosion be put in place by the people and government. Similarly, reforestation of catchment areas and eroded lands can be effective in reclaiming and controlling gully corridors in the affected areas.