Topography Essay

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Topography

Refers to the ‘lie of the land’, or the physical and geographic characteristics of land in terms of elevation, slope and orientation, or aspect (facing north). An understanding of topography is critical for a number of reasons. In terms of environmental quality, agriculture, and hydrology, understanding the topography of an area enhances the understanding of watershed boundaries, drainage characteristics, water movement and water quality. Understanding topography also aids in soil conservation, especially in agriculture. Contour ploughing, which is the practice of ploughing along the topographic lines, is an established practice of enabling sustainable agriculture on sloping land. When planning planting areas, an understanding of …show more content…

Placement of dams and pump-houses will therefore be critical in determining the cost of electricity for irrigation purposes. Infield irrigation systems also differ with regard to energy requirement.

Irrigation infrastructure includes:
• Dams
• Main supply – pump-houses and pumps
• Secondary reticulation (in-field) system

Electricity Supply
A cost-effective power supply system should be planned carefully to include possible future development of production areas and infrastructure. Installation of new power supply points is costly and careful attention to initial planning will save costs at a later stage.

Electricity infrastructure includes:
• Main supply – buildings, pump-houses and pumps
• Reticulation to in-field installations

Communication Systems
Communication infrastructure refers to telecommunication and radio systems. In some areas, telephone connections are not available, which makes the management of a farming enterprise more difficult.

Boundary …show more content…

The output of tractors must for example be linked to the equipment which has to be handled, e.g. ploughing, spray machines, picking trailers, etc.
• Housing
The extent of housing needed on a farm depends on the size of the farm as well as the distance to the nearest labour source or town. The number of houses that are required increases with the distance from a town or labour source, and provision must be made for management, middle management and supervisory staff.
• Farm Roads
Main roads on a farm should be positioned to serve all main action areas without causing too much farm traffic in and around production areas. It is ideal to have the offices, pack house, stores and housing area situated as near as possible to the farm entrance, so that movement in and around production areas is limited and only linked to

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