In recent decades we are witnessing a rapidly expanding areas affected by soil erosion (both hydric and wind erosion) and the disastrous consequences of this natural phenomenon in all continents. The negative effects of this process are: reducing the production capacity of ecosystems, global climate change and the environment in general, deterioration of human food resources, undermining economic development. The consequences of erosion on national economies are multiple: direct (agricultural production losses, floods, silting etc.), and indirect: degradation of pastures, that pushing grazing in forests, so their degradation; chaotic modification of runoff drainage regime on slopes which removes required water from vegetation; appearance of rapid floods, producing significant damages; increased river discharges; floods; entrainment, destruction and transportation of particles that form fertile soil horizon. Soil erosion control system include all activities and works which providing the administration of public domain of land, with local / national interest, and their sustainable management. Soil erosion control arrangements, consisting in general from a set of hydrotechnical structures and non-structural measures, produce both a favorable and unfavorable influences on environment. Their different constructive and exploitation solutions exercise a significantly impact on the environment. Therefore the advantages and disadvantages of each solution must be weighed and determined to materialize one or other of them seriously argued. The optimization of soil erosion control systems is needed to meet current and future requirements in the field of rational land management in the context of integrated management. Optimization process of soil erosion control systems includes several components related to environmental protection, technical side and the economical side: optimization of choice of emplacement; quantitative and qualitative optimization; optimization from point to view of environmental protection; technical optimization and economical optimization. This paper summarizes the main aspects and possibilities of optimization of existing soil erosion control systems and those will be realized in areas with high risk of soil erosion due to human activities and climate change.

soil erosion control, optimization, hydrotechnical structures, non-structural measures

Presentation: oral