A semi-circular bund (also known as a ''demi-lune'' or half-moon) is a
rainwater harvesting technique consisting in digging semilunar holes in the ground with the opening perpendicular to the flow of water.
Background
These holes are oriented against the slope of the ground, generating a small dike in the curved area with the soil from the hole itself, so they capture the rainwater running downhills.
These structures allow
water to seep into the soil, retaining in the subsoil a greater amount of moisture. But also, it prevents the
loss of
fertile soil.
Semi-circular bunds are used to
reforest arid zones with irregular rain patterns, allowing the growth of plants and trees, such as in the
Sahel
The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...
.
See also
*
Zaï
*
Infiltration basin
*
Contour plowing
*
Great Green Wall
*
Rainwater harvesting in the Sahel
Rainwater harvesting in the Sahel is a combination of "indigenous and innovative" agricultural strategies that "plant the rain" and reduce evaporation, so that crops have access to soil moisture for the longest possible period of time. In the r ...
References
{{Stormwater structures
Rainwater harvesting
Water conservation
Flood control projects
Irrigation
Desert greening
Forestry initiatives
Environmental engineering