In most parts of Ethiopia, soil and water conservation practices were executed for long periods but its
sustainability is alarming mainly because of the lack of maintaining the technical recommended standards. This study
was conducted to evaluate the technical feasibility of the implemented soil and water conservation practices in the
Weregen watershed. Data were collected through field observation and measurements on stone-faced soil bunds, stone bunds, hillside terraces with a trench, bench terraces, and loose-stone check dams based on their commonness in the watershed. The current dimensions of the selected practices were evaluated against the recommended standards. The result indicated that the average deviations in the hillside terrace with trench were: riser height -29.9%, ,top width 52.8%, trench width 7.4% and trench depth -25%,; bench terrace: width 9.2%, vertical interval 17%, riser slope 29%,riser height -50%,; stone-faced soil bunds: top width -73%, height -70%, and spacing 65%; stone bunds: spacing 40%,height -15.4%, base width 33%, and top width 14.6%; and loose-stone check dams: spacing 27.3%, side key -46.6%,base width -47.1%, height -92.3%. In conclusion, the study indicates that all of the existing soil and water conservation practices were technically deficient. Field observation indicated that disparity of dimensions of the implemented practices and the standard was the main factor for deficient technical qualities. So it is better to focus on technical standards of soil and water conservation practices’ than only on its coverage to ensure the maximum and sustainable use of the practices.
Key words: Conservation practices, Deviation, Sustainability, Technical standards