Land Reclamation

Land reclamation

The recovering of land that has been rendered unsuitable for use to make it usable again. Or is the process of turning the poor land into a useful state through the improvement practices for economic and social development.

Aims of land reclamation

1. To increase the size of land available for agriculture purposes. This was carried out in the Tennessee valley. Previously unused land was irrigated in order to increase crop production.
2. To increase the size of land available for human settlement. This may become necessary if the population of an area grows beyond the land is available.
3. To make available more land for the establishment of industries and offices.
4. To be in proximity to resources in order to be able to gainfully utilize them.

Factors which may cause land to become unusable

1. Land may be damaged due to natural hazards like fire.
2. Human activities can also damage the land i.e. poor farming methods, mining and pollution.
3. Cares of water logged land for example swamps and marshes.

Methods of reclaiming the land

1. Afforestation or reforestation.
2. Tsetse fly control which is done by clearing, spraying the area in order to kill them.
3. Irrigation which is practiced where the natural precipitation is not sufficient to meet the crop moisture requirements.
4. Draining water using canals and pumps can reclaim or constructing embankment for water logged land /marshy areas or wetlands.
5. Planting reeds to allow water absorption by plants so as to dry the areas for cultivation.
6. Planting grass cover to check erosion.
7. Burning reeds so as to clear the area for cultivation and settlement.

Purposes of reclaiming the land

1. To increase availability of arable land for cultivation.
2. To expand carrying capacity of land. This means that the land can be used for industrial areas as well as residential areas.
3. For road and railway construction.
4. To control floods caused by water from the sea. The best example of land reclamation in the world is the Zuider Zee land reclamation scheme in Holland (Netherlands).

Land reclamation in the Netherlands

1. The Netherlands is located:
   • Between the North Sea (to the north)
   • And Belgium (to the south)
2. The name "Netherlands" means "low lands".
   • Much of the country was originally flooded by the sea.
   • Some areas were marshes, swamplands, or covered with poor soil.
3. The country occupies an area of approximately 40,844 km².

Reclamation of land

1. Northern parts of the Netherlands have been reclaimed from the sea and turned into arable land.
2. An area of land that has been reclaimed from the sea is known as a POLDER.

Engineering efforts

1. A major reclamation project was designed by a Dutch engineer named Cornelis Lely.
   • He played a key role in transforming underwater or unusable land into productive areas for settlement and farming.

Aims of land reclamation in Netherlands

1. To increase dry land for residential and industrial development.
2. To reduce the danger of over flooding and obtain land for agriculture and livestock keeping activities. For example, in 1953, 1,800 people died due to the rise of sea level.

Steps of land reclamation taken in Netherlands

1. Dykes / embankments were built to enclose part of the seawater. The sand was imported from Germany and Sweden.
2. Water was pumped out of these areas using wind mill and electrical pumps.
3. The dry land was planted with reeds to control weeds and preserve moisture in the soil and to absorb more salt from the soil.