Gully Erosion: India's growing environmental crisis

The fifth standard science textbook by the Central Board of Secondary Education explains the concept of soil erosion in an easy-to-understand way, introducing children to what soil is, how erosion happens, and its harmful consequences. We learned that rivers, when flowing through forests, help control their movement, thus preventing soil erosion. As we moved forward in school, the term "soil erosion" became more familiar, and we explored its different types.

One type of soil erosion is gully erosion, which has created unique ravines in the Chambal region. A recent scientific report shows that 20 states in India, including Delhi NCR, are affected by gully erosion, with Madhya Pradesh being the third most impacted state.

Understanding Gully Erosion

Gully erosion represents a severe form of soil degradation. In this process, surface water runoff removes the topsoil and creates deep channels or gullies. This phenomenon predominantly occurs in regions with steep slopes and insufficient vegetation cover. The consequences of this erosion include loss of fertile soil, land degradation, and water pollution caused by sediment deposition downstream.

It progresses through distinct stages. Initially, small channels called gully systems form when concentrated water flow erodes soil and deposits it elsewhere, causing waterway blockages and reduced water quality. In the second stage, these channels deepen and widen, continuously stripping away the land's fertile soil. Eventually, the area is transformed into a rocky wasteland of eroded sedimentary formations known as "badlands" or ravines. The northern regions of Madhya Pradesh along the Chambal River and the southeastern parts of Rajasthan in the Yamuna valley exemplify such ravine formations.

National picture of gully erosion

The Nature report, ‘Gully Erosion is a Serious Obstacle in India's Land Degradation Neutrality Mission,’ highlights the growing concern of gully erosion in India.

The mapping reveals that gully erosion features exist in 19 of India's 28 states, plus Delhi NCR. Across 286 districts in these 20 states, researchers identified 51,755 sites affected by gully erosion. These include 48,356 gully channels, 2,567 badlands, and 832 denuded hillslopes.

Gully systems are the most numerous, indicating that many areas in India are in the early stages of gully erosion. However, in terms of area coverage, badlands are most significant, spanning 5,714 square kilometers. Geographically, gully systems predominate in eastern India, while ravines are more common in western India.

Although the affected area represents only 0.24% of India's total landmass, the impact is disproportionately severe in six states: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh. Together, these states constitute about 38% of India's area but account for nearly 92% of the country's gully erosion-affected regions. This concentration clearly indicates that eastern, western, and central India are facing the brunt of it.

The report identifies 77 districts where gully erosion management should be prioritized. Without timely intervention, these areas face imminent deterioration. Ten districts in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have been designated as high or very high priority due to extensive badlands. Despite ongoing land rehabilitation efforts in these regions, over 60% of high-priority districts are located in eastern India.

MP ranks third 

The report's mapping shows that gully erosion impacts nearly all of Madhya Pradesh, covering an area of 1,728 to 1,745.54 square kilometers. Ranked third among India's most affected states, after Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the issue is most severe in the eastern and northern districts.

The report categorizes erosion severity into multiple levels. The "low" category indicates areas where erosion has just begun and gullies are starting to form. "Moderate" refers to regions where gullies have already developed. "High" signifies areas where gully systems have become deep and wide, while "very high" denotes locations where ravines have fully formed.

Districts like Sheopur, Chhindwara, Seoni, Panna, and Damoh face moderate gully erosion. Mandla, Sidhi, and Satna districts are more severely affected, while Bhind, Morena, and Shahdol face very high levels of gully erosion.

Regarding management priorities, 15% of Madhya Pradesh's districts require high-priority intervention due to the severity of erosion. In 57% of districts, the problem remains in the initial gully system stage. However, the state faces dual challenges: limited success with previous ravine rehabilitation efforts, and insufficient attention to gully system management in many eastern districts.

Management efforts and limitations

Effective gully erosion management requires a multifaceted approach. Strategies include reducing runoff through improved land cover and implementing soil and water conservation measures. Structural interventions such as check dams and drainage channels help control water flow, while vegetation methods like grass and tree planting stabilize soil. Community participation and sustainable land-use practices are also essential for long-term erosion control.

The report reveals concerning gaps in management efforts. Only 65.4% of the 48,356 gully systems are currently managed, and just 64.5% of treeless denuded hillslopes have undergone partial restoration. Badlands show better attention, with rehabilitation work underway in 96.5% of these areas. Overall, approximately one-third of all mapped erosion sites remain unmanaged, with gully systems comprising 98% of these neglected areas.

Regional disparities in management are evident, with eastern India showing higher rates of unmanaged gully erosion. While badlands dominate western and central India, many eastern districts in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal alarmingly lack gully system management. In 80 districts across the eastern region, more than 25% of identified gully erosion areas remain unmanaged.

Among the 77 priority districts identified nationwide, ten districts in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have received very high or high management priority classifications due to extensive badlands. Despite long-standing land rehabilitation efforts in these areas, over 60% of high-priority districts are located in eastern India. The report emphasizes that gully erosion in eastern India requires more immediate attention than badlands.

Impacts and India’s commitment  

Gully erosion produces far-reaching consequences for society and the environment. It degrades soil quality, reduces carbon and heavy metal storage capacity, decreases biomass production, and lowers crop yields. Water quality deteriorates as sediment increases, reservoir storage capacity diminishes, and water flow patterns change. Land use undergoes major shifts, other erosion processes and landslides intensify, and ultimately, fertile land becomes barren. Climate change further exacerbates these problems, directly threatening human lives and livelihoods.

India has committed to achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030 under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). However, gully erosion stands as a major obstacle to this goal. Research conducted in 2022 in the Chambal region illustrates the magnitude of the problem: approximately 284 tons of soil eroded from each hectare annually.

Land management is also intrinsically linked to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nine of the 17 SDGs cannot be achieved without effective land management. These include critical goals like zero hunger, clean water, climate action, and preserving life on land and in water. Without halting land erosion, land quality cannot improve. Without fertile soil, agricultural productivity remains low, perpetuating hunger. Without controlling gully erosion, clean water availability remains uncertain. The report emphasizes that India faces a dual challenge in achieving LDN by 2030: properly rehabilitating existing badlands while effectively preventing new gully erosion.

A Call for Action

Ravine erosion in India is a long-standing issue, with many areas still at the early stages of formation. The report highlights that these emerging problem areas are not receiving sufficient management attention. Despite soil erosion and afforestation being part of school curricula for decades, the problem persists and continues to worsen.

The situation suggests we have overlooked the environmental lessons taught in schools, with necessary corrective actions delayed or ignored. As gully erosion threatens our land and water resources, urgent, collective action from government, communities, and individuals is essential. Without effective management, India risks failing to meet its land conservation goals and jeopardizing future generations' well-being.  

The time to act is now. By prioritizing gully erosion management in high-risk districts and applying proven conservation methods, India can still reverse this trend and achieve sustainable land management for both environmental and human prosperity.

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