Morphological Characterization and Spatial Variation of Permanent Gullies in Southern Gombe State, Nigeria: Implications for Erosion Hazard Management

Kalshidam Musa; Gideon Didams

doi:10.56201/ijgem.vol.12.no10.2026.pg184.197

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Morphological Characterization and Spatial Variation of Permanent Gullies in Southern Gombe State, Nigeria: Implications for Erosion Hazard Management

Kalshidam Musa, Gideon Didams

Abstract

Permanent gully erosion is a severe environmental problem in Southern Gombe State, Nigeria, destroying buildings, roads, bridges and agricultural lands. This study, characterizes morphologies and spatial variations of permanent gullies that dissect landscape of the area. Using Google Earth Pro imagery and detailed field measurement campaigns, 130 permanent gully locations were identified and thir morphometric parameters including length, top width, bed width, depth and surface area were measured every 20 m along gully channels. Permanent gullies were classified based on landscape position and morphology into continuous, discontinuous and bank gullies. Results show 130 permanent gullies affect 34,499.2 ha or 4.3% of study area. Continuous gullies dominate by area (46 gullies, 35% by count, 21,950.1 ha or 64% by area), followed by bank gullies (13 gullies, 10% by count, 8,624.5 ha or 25%) and discontinuous gullies (71 gullies, 55% by count, 3,924.3 ha or 11% by area). Morphometrically, gully depth ranges 0.9-12.2 m (exceptionally up to 20 m), width up to 68 m, length 99-10,857 m. Continuous gullies are largest (up to 20 m deep, 68 m wide, 10,857 m long) with trapezoidal cross-sections, occurring on gentle slopes along drainage paths with large contributing area, erodible soils from soft unconsolidated sedimentary rocks and poor vegetation cover. Bank gullies are large (up to 13.4 m deep, 43.1 m wide, 1,370 m long), less topographically controlled, originating from banks of streams and agricultural terraces, shaped by tension cracks, piping and mass movement. Discontinuous gullies are smaller (up to 3.2 m deep, 10.1 m wide, 915 m long), isolated on steep slopes with smaller contributing area and more stable shallow soils, characterized by abrupt headcut and alluvial fan at intersection with valley. Spatially, northern parts underlain by Gombe and Keri-Keri Formations show wide U-shaped active gullies lacking vegetation, while southern mountainous parts show narrow V-shaped partially stabilized gullies with vegetation but with falls indicating rejuvenation. Mechanisms include piping, tension crack development, dispersion, bank collapse and rill erosion initiation. The study recommends immediate zoning IJGEM IJGEM IIARD International Journal of Geography & Environmental Management of continuous gully systems as class 1 environmentally sensitive areas and implementation of differentiated interventions including check dams at gully mouths, gabion drops for headcut control, a 100 m ban on sand mining along gully banks, and establishment of an integrated remote sensing and field based monitoring system to support erosion control.

Keywords

Gully morphologyContinuous gullyDiscontinuous gullyBank gullySouthern Gombe StateNEWMAPPermanent gully

References

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Morphological Characterization and Spatial Variation of Permanent Gullies in Southern Gombe State, Nigeria: Implications for Erosion Hazard Management

Abstract

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