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Reconnaissance Soil Survey of Bogra District and Part of Dinajpur Sadar Subdivision

Md Anwar Hossain
Deputy Director (Research)
Soil Resource Development Institute, Dhaka. Formerly, Department of Soil Survey, Dacca, Bangladesh

Mahbubur Rahman
Soil Survey Research Officer
Soil Resource Development Institute, Dhaka. Formerly, Department of Soil Survey, Dacca, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The surveyed area covers 1912 square miles. The soils are developed in: (i) unconsolidated recent and sub-recent Tista and Jamuna alluvia on level to very gently undulating ridges and basins. Mainly grey, olive and brown soils are developed in these sediments. The soils are predominantly medium and fine textured occupying 42.9% of the area; (ii) semi consolidated Madhupur clay occupying nearly level to broadly dissected Barind tract. Grey, brown and red loamy soils on a mottled clay substratum are developed in this sediment extended to 57.1% of the area. About 60% of the area is very shallowly to shallowly, 9% moderately deeply flooded, 4% has a river erosion hazard and flooded to varying depths, 12% above normal flood-level or only intermittently flooded. About 10% of the land is triple cropped, 38% double cropped, 39% single cropped, 2% Gazari forest, grassland, barren and 11% homesteads, water, urban land. Good agricultural land is about 36%, moderate agricultural land 49%, poor agricultural land 1%, very poor and non-agricultural land 3% and homestead, water, urban 11%. Rice, jute, sugarcane, potatoes, chillies and tobacco are the main crops. There is a considerable potential for increased agricultural production in almost all parts of the surveyed areas.

Keywords: Soil, Survey, Land, Capability

Location: Bogra and part of Dinajpur district

Start Date: 03-01-1970

End Date: 31-12-1972

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Land management

Objectives:

1. To identify, classify and describe the major kinds of soils occurring in the survey area;

2. To prepare maps showing the distribution of these soils; and

3. To evaluate the properties of soils in terms of potentialities for improved use.

Methodology:

The basis of survey was air-photo interpretation supported by a planned program of field traverses and laboratory analysis of representative soil samples that were collected. Air-photos used were of approximate scale of 1:40,000 taken in the dry season of 1951-52. In general, field methods and descriptive terms used have been those given in the USDA Soil Survey Manual. A land capability classification specially adapted to the Bangladesh environment was used. A network of traverses was laid down so as to examine the major landscape units differentiated by study of the air-photos. Soils were examined as often as necessary along these traverses. The traverse and sampling intensity varied considerably from place to place according to the complexity of the soils and soil patterns and supplementary traverses were made wherever considered necessary. Generally, traverses were made at intervals of from 2-4 miles, and observations along the traverses made at intervals of from a few yards to approximately half a mile. Most of the profiles were briefly described from auger holes along each traverse. Soil samples for correlation and laboratory analysis were taken from pits excavated in each soil series recognized. In the case of major soils, several profiles were sampled. In general, routine traverse examinations were made to a depth of about 4 feet; but pit descriptions were made even to a depth of 7-8 feet. At each observation point, the main properties of the soil were described and notes were taken on land use, crop yield, fertilizer used, depth and duration of flooding, other limitations and special features, if any. The traverses were made on foot and by Land Rover jeeps. The major soil unit recognized was the soil series. The fresh sediments have been named according to their texture like sandy or silty alluvium.

Source of Information: Reconnaissance Soil Survey of Bogra district and part of Dinajpur sadar subdivision, 1972; Md. Anwar Hossain, Department of Soil Survey, Bangladesh, Dhaka 1973.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. United Nations Development Project	Budget:
2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations	Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

RSS is the first soil and land resource pool of the country. Besides SRDI, so far all kinds of soil and land resource maps and information reproduced from different institutions are based on the information included in RSS. It is experienced that the RSS report includes major baseline information of the area concerned and one can overview an area relevant to natural resource management, potentials, limitations and generalized solution at planner level.

The report is primarily intended for use by those responsible for economic and agricultural development planning at the national, regional and district levels. It provides information on which policy decisions might be based regarding agricultural development by such means as irrigation, flood protection, drainage, use of fertilizers and introduction of alternative crops or methods of husbandry. It indicates the different soil conditions which might require separate trials and also the area over which the results of such trials might confidently be expected to apply. The report is provided with soil association, land use, land capability and physiographic maps. The agricultural development possibilities by land capability subclasses are given in this report. The relative suitability of each soil for a number of common crops has been evaluated and tabulated.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings