ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts presents in the subsequent chapters. This part deals with soil erosion and its control in other parts of the world—China and Japan and provides a case history that emphasizes one aspect of the silt problem. It shows the status of the erosion problem in China up until the 1930s and mentions construction methods along with reforestation that could be used to stop erosion. The area of land in China that required immediate attention was then about 130,000 square km, but ultimately it would be twice that. The book describes a related controversial issue which is receiving a great deal of debate concerns man’s alteration of rivers and channels in the belief that certain benefits will accrue. Ruhe also describes increase in croplands in the Missouri River. Here less erosion was caused and new farm lands created simultaneously by careful design for altering the river course.
