Quantifying the Carbon Sequestration Potential of Check Dams: A Baseline Study Using Precipitation Events

Greenhouse gas reduction and carbon sequestration are crucial strategies for addressing climate change. However, extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and typhoons trigger soil erosion and landslides that severely impact the environment. These events not only release substantial greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and water bodies through large-scale collapses but also significantly delay ecosystem recovery and carbon sequestration processes. As climate change intensifies, the potential benefits of soil and water conservation engineering in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing carbon sinks have gained increasing attention. Check dams, as one of the key engineering structures for stabilizing sediment and preventing slope disasters, play a vital role in preventing large-scale landslides. While research on sediment stabilization mechanisms of check dams is well-established, studies on their organic carbon sequestration benefits remain limited. In particular, the temporal dynamics of carbon mechanisms are not well understood, making it difficult to provide solid scientific evidence for the carbon sequestration benefits of check dams.

This study uses precipitation events as a baseline to investigate the effects of check dam engineering on soil carbon sequestration and explores the mechanisms of carbon flow and sequestration from watershed soil erosion to sediment deposition within check dams. The research methodology involves selecting watersheds with fragile geology susceptible to erosion for sample collection and analysis. By examining changes in sediment organic carbon content before and after precipitation events, we analyze the transformation and sequestration mechanisms of organic carbon during erosion and deposition processes. Furthermore, through precipitation event simulations, we quantify soil erosion rates in watersheds and assess carbon loss and retention during sediment deposition in check dams to establish a simple and feasible method for sampling and carbon sequestration calculation.

The study aims to reveal the carbon sequestration benefits of check dams during sediment stabilization processes and, through baseline establishment, develop an economical and scientific method for estimating carbon sequestration capacity. This method can be applied to large-scale assessments of carbon sequestration benefits of check dam projects across different regions, providing new scientific perspectives and empirical evidence for the role of soil and water conservation engineering in climate change mitigation. This research not only helps deepen our understanding of the carbon sequestration benefits of check dams but also provides crucial references for policy formulation and engineering planning, further promoting the integration and implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Keywords: Check dam, Carbon sequestration, Watershed management, Soil erosion