What are Gullies?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 9th, 2023
Gullies are like developing valleys a few feet wide and deep, formed by gully erosion and continuous slumping of the side walls. The French word goule, which means throat, is where the word gully first appeared. Small, narrow rills form when water flows over terrain due to friction, which removes some materials from the surface in the direction of the flow. These gullies will gradually form out of these rills. They typically develop on the side of hills.
Table of content
Gullies Definition
Running water, mass movement, or frequently both eroding sharply into the soil or other relatively erodible material, usually on a hillside or in river floodplains or terraces, creates gullies. Gullies, a form of soil erosion, lower farmland productivity.
The gullies are formed when many rills join and gain more than 30 cm in depth. The factors which affect gully erosion are the drainage area, soil characteristics, the alignment and shape of the gully, and the gradient of the gully channel.
Formation of Gullies
Access and management of the land are difficult, reducing their values. Gullies destroy farms and lands. The sediments carried by the flowing water cause discoloration, block waterways, and eventually, fill the dams.
Gully formation is influenced by a number of natural and man-made factors. Inappropriate land use, grass and forest fires, overgrazing, mining, and road building are examples of man-made factors. Precipitation, topography, soil characteristics, and vegetative cover are examples of physical factors.
Summary:
What are Gullies?
Gullies are formed when water flows over the land because of friction, a few quantities of materials from the surface are removed in the direction of flow, and narrow and small rills are formed. It is basically a form of soil erosion.
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