Do Implemented Soil and Water Conservation Structures Fulfill the Technical Standard Guideline requirements in northwestern of Tigray, Ethiopia?

Abstract To reduce soil erosion challenges physical soil and water conservation (SWC) structures were implemented for the last 30 and more years. However, most of these structures are distracted and could not support the intended purpose. The study was conductedto evaluate implemented physical SWC structures compared to the technical standard set by the ministry of agriculture. Data on slopelength of destructed SWC and design parameters of physical SWC structures of length of bund, base width, spacing, total length of structure, depth of foundation, height of riserand top width of the implemented SWC were collected from a plot size of 50 *50 (m2) at the upper, middle, foot and bottom parts of the Watershed and compared to the technical standards using t-test. The major physical structures implemented on the study watershed were hillside terraces with trenches, hillside terraces, stone bunds, check dams and trenches. The physical SWC structures implemented in grazing land were comparatively with less performance than the structures in the cultivated land and exclousure sin all part of the watershed. All design parameters of hillside terraces in upper slope,and depthof foundation and spacing of all implemented structures throughout the study watershedwere significantly different from the standards. Focus should be given on implementing quality structures rather than norm works. Organizations should give intensive capacity building to the implementers on the technical design of each design parameters and layout because the physical SWC structures fail from their purpose even due to one poor design parameter.