Mini-dam terraces

* Note: The original title of this  post is "Terraces, Part 13". Four entries and sets of photos here.

(1) February 28, 2016

Last weekend I visited the farm. Little time as I have to go back to Makati same day, we only worked on this area. The 4th layer or row was repaired after the soil it was standing on has sunk.

How tall is this mini-dam, well compare its height with Danny, Nong Endring's son and helps his father in the farm, and Danny is about 5"10'.

(2) August 02, 2015

I visited the farm last Saturday. Previous weeks, we added the 4th layer as the stones continue to shrink, though at low rates now.

Side view, and left side of the structure, below.

And here is the adjusted structure, moving to 5 layers from the previous 2-3 layers. Nong Endring is standing at the top putting new grasses and leaves. See his height compared with the height of the structure. It's simply getting higher, sturdier.

The mini-pool at the back of the structure, the impounded water. Above photo,  taken 3 weeks earlier.

(3) July 14, 2015

The 3-layer terraces, March 2015 (top photo) and July 2015 (below). We started building the 4th layer last month.

(4) March 13, 2015.

Two weekends ago, I visited the farm. The big "wall" that we built several years ago, the stones are shrinking, as the soil below them becomes compacted. Time to adjust them. We removed one layer of stones each on the first and second rows, and put them on the third row.

Below, before we  worked on it. Notice the 3rd row, the sinking is visible...

After. The 3rd row became higher and more prominent.

Top view, before and after. Behind the big stones in each row are many smaller stones to stabilize them. Plus soil and organic matter as additional but weaker back up materials. Where did we get the soil and additional smaller stones...

From here. The trapped organic matter that has decomposed and became very soft soil. We removed about six inches deep on average here. This area becomes a temporary pool of trapped water and organic matter during heavy rains. Meaning, it can reduce a huge volume of water and hence, reduce flash flood, and reduce or prevent erosion of precious top soil in this part of the farm. 

--------------

See also:

Terraces, Part 9, July 07, 2014 

Terraces, Part 10, August 30, 2014

Terraces, Part 11, October 22, 2014

Terraces, Part 12, November 28, 2014

Terraces at mahogany area, Part 2

These photos were taken last October 31, 2015. I only manage to upload and write about them today. This is the area between the mahogany trees and the rice field. Before the clearing...

And about 2 hours after. These 2 young boys helped us. They move and work fast. They are happy to work for about 4-5 hours with snacks and lunch, and a fee.

The uprooted and cut grasses, vines, leaves are deposited as filling materials at the back of the stone terraces.

Another round of clearing last December 19, 2015. The decomposed organic matter at the back of the stone terraces easily shrink in size.

Not far from this area is a stock of wood not good for lumber, to be used for charcoal making.

See also:
Terraces at Mahogany Area, March 10, 2015
Terraces, Part 11, October 22, 2014
Terraces Below the Treehouse, May 23, 2015
Mini-dam terraces, August 02, 2015

Terraces Below the Treehouse

The stone terraces below my treehouse has been relatively stable, no big erosion happened. But is also a bit neglected, some unstable terraces were not repaired, lots of grasses and small vines. This photo taken last May 09, 2015.

After being cleaned, near-collapsing terraces were repaired. The uprooted grasses and vines were used as filling materials along with soil behind those stones.

Updates, taken last May 20, 2015. View from the 1st floor of my treehouse.

I don't know how to adjust my cameraphone against glaring noontime sights like this. Not clearly visible, but the repaired stone terraces are now  high, 2 layers or rows.

When I go back there, more rows will be constructed.
-------------

See also:

Terraces, Part 10, August 30, 2014

Terraces, Part 11, October 22, 2014

Terraces at Mahogany Area, March 10, 2015

Terraces, Part 13, March 13, 2015

Terraces Beside Narra Trees, May 10, 2015

Terraces Beside Narra Trees

Old and existing terraces are further stabilized and raised with new layers of organic matter, soil and stones added on them. On one side of the farm, here are a series of photos as of August 2014, mid-March 2015, and May 9, 2015, respectively.

Another angle. Photos as of mid-March 2015.

Cleaning up litter falls that will simply be washed out by flash flood. Before and after.

Behind the big stones are these organic matter and soil. Photos as of April 04 and May 9, 2015. .

The new top soil were organic matter and eroded topsoil that were trapped by this structure. Imagine the amount of top soil  that has been preserved, and flash flood that has been temporarily impounded, for a few hours. How thick or how high is the new soil that has been trapped at the base? Here  is one measurement, about 6-8 inches high, or about 3/4 of the shovel base, at around 1.5 meters distance from the big stones.

How it looked before the new topsoil was formed -- hard soil with lots of small stones on the surface.

A small group of blocking stones, as of April 04 and May 9, 2015, respectively.

The big stones were transferred in building the 2nd layer of terraces. Front view of big stones, as of April 04 and May 9, 2015, respectively.

-------------

See also:

Terraces, Part 10, August 30, 2014

Terraces, Part 11, October 22, 2014

Terraces at Mahogany Area, March 10, 2015

Terraces, Part 13, March 13, 2015

Terraces at Mahogany Area

These photos were taken November 23, 2014. We expanded the terrace here. Below, before and after.

Another view, before and after.

We cleared many grasses, vines and small mahogany trees that are too close to each other and hence, have no chance of growing big. Organic matter as filling materials. Through time, natural  soil erosion from higher ground will  fill up and flatten, even exceed, this area. Then there will be a need to raise the terrace's height, or build a second, higher row of terrace.

Another view. Lower photo, from left: Marlon (extra worker for that day only), Nong Endring Paragas, and his son Danny.

And these photos below taken last weekend. From two layers raised to four layers of stones. Lots of organic matter, soil and small stones were added at the back of these bigger stones.

Stones re-arranged and a 4th layer of stones were added.

Thanks for viewing.
-----------

See also:

Stone Terraces, Part 7, March 30, 2014

Presentation at WASWAC Seminar at BSWM, DA, May 13, 2014

Stone Terraces, Part 8, June 03, 2014

Terraces, Part 9, July 07, 2014 

Terraces, Part 10, August 30, 2014

Terraces, Part 11, October 22, 2014

Terraces, Part 11

I went back to the farm in Bugallon, Pangasinan, last Friday, October 18. As usual, I do what I like doing most -- raising or extending an existing terrace, or build a new one. Last week, we raised the height of this terrace, this is in front of the rice field, not far from my treehouse. Before and after; Danny shown here. We raised it by almost one foot higher.

Nong Endring shown here. It's nice to see cleared terraces. The unwanted small mahogany trees (they grow too close to each other), grasses and vines were cut and piled as filling materials behind these big stones. Smaller stones support the bigger ones of course, behind them.

Now the medium and big mahogany trees can have more space, more sunlight after the unwanted trees have been removed. The area is also cleared of mosquitoes. These pests like dark places where sunlight can hardly penetrate.

In many parts of the farm, the trees just emerge and grow naturally, not planted by us humans. Trees are like grasses, they will resurface and regrow on their own, even in heavily denuded mountains. There is a need to regularly clear and cut those that are growing too close to one another. Lower photo, an acacia auri that was knocked down by the past typhoon about three weeks ago.

See also:

Stone Terraces, Part 7, March 30, 2014

Presentation at WASWAC Seminar at BSWM, DA, May 13, 2014

Stone Terraces, Part 8, June 03, 2014

Terraces, Part 9, July 07, 30, 2014 2014 

Terraces, Part 10, August