A Water Transfer and Agricultural Land Retirement in a Drainage Problem Area

The increasing scarcity of water in California and the rising cost of compliance with environmental regulations are motivating some farmers in the San Joaquin Valley to sell their land and water, and discontinue production of irrigated crops. In the summer of 2004, all landowners in the 3,700-ha Broadview Water District decided to sell their land to Westlands Water District. The land sales have been completed and Westlands has acquired Broadview's water supply contract. Farmland in Broadview will no longer be irrigated. We describe what motivated the purchase and sale of land and water in Broadview and discuss the potential gains to participants. We describe also the potential public benefits that include an increase in economic activity and environmental enhancement in the San Joaquin Valley. Farm workers displaced by land retirement in Broadview will find employment in the Westlands Water District. Tenant farmers in Broadview will need to find other land on which to continue farming after the land sales are completed. The challenge they face is caused partly by a regional trend toward greater production of perennial crops that is leaving less land available for annual leases.Formerly Manager of Broadview Water District, Firebaugh, California     

Influence of different water quantities and qualities on lemon trees and soil salt distribution at the Jordan Valley

The influences of water quantity and quality on young lemon trees (Eureka) were studied at the University of Jordan Research Station at the Jordan Valley for 5 years (1996–2000). Five water levels and three water qualities were imposed via trickle irrigation system on clay loam soil. The primary effect of excess salinity is that it renders less water available to plants although some is still present in the root zone. Lemon trees water requirements should be modified year by year since planting according to the percentage shaded area, and this will lead into substantial water saving. Both evaporation from class A pan and the percentage shaded area can be used to give a satisfactory estimate of the lemon trees water requirement at the different growth stages. The highest lemon fruit yield was at irrigation water depth equal to evaporation depth from class A pan when corrected for tree canopy percentage area. Increasing irrigation water salinity 3.7 times increased average crop root zone salinity by about 3.8–4.1 times.The high salt concentration at the soil surface is due to high evaporation rate from wetted areas and the nature of soil water distribution associated with drip irrigation system. Then, the salt concentration decreased until the second depth, thereafter, salt concentration followed the bulb shape of the wetted soil volume under trickle irrigation. Irrigation water salinity is very important factor that should be managed with limited (deficit) irrigation. But increasing amount of applied saline water could result in a negative effect on crop yield and environment such as increasing average crop root zone salinity, nutrient leaching, water logging, increasing the drainage water load of salinity which might pollute ground water and other water sources.     

DRAINMOD-S: Water management model for irrigated arid lands,crop yield and applications

The primary objective of an agriculture water management system is to provide crop needs to sustain high yields. Another objective of equal or greater importance in some regions is to reduce agriculture impacts on surface and groundwater quality. Kandil et al. (1992) modified the water management model DRAINMOD to predict soil salinity as affected by irrigation water quality and drainage system design. The objectives of this study are to incorporate an algorithm to quantify the effects of stresses due to soil salinity on crop yields and to demonstrate the applications of the model. DRAINMOD-S, is capable of predicting the long-term effects of different irrigation and drainage practices on crop yields. The overall crop function in the model includes the effects of stresses caused by excessive soil water conditions (waterlogging), soil water-deficits, salinity, and planting delays. Three irrigation strategies and six drain spacings were considered for all crops. In the first irrigation strategy, the irrigation amounts were equal to evapotranspiration requirements by the crops, with the addition of a 10 cm depth of water for leaching applied during each growing season. In the second strategy, the leaching depth (10 cm) was applied before the growing season. In the third strategy, a leaching depth of 15 cm was applied before the growing season for each crop. Another strategy (4th) with more leaching was considered for bean which is the crop most sensitive to salinity. In the fourth strategy, 14 days intervals were used instead of 7 and leaching irrigations were applied: 15 cm before the growing season and 10 cm at the middle of the growing season for bean. The objective function for these simulations was crop yield. Soil water conditions and soil salinity were continuously simulated for a crop rotation of bean, cotton, maize, soybean, and wheat over a 19 years period. Yields of individual crops were predicted for each growing season. Results showed that the third irrigation strategy resulted in the highest yields for cotton, maize, soybean and wheat. Highest yields for bean were obtained by the fourth irrigation strategy. Results are also presented on the effects of drain depth and spacing on yields. DRAINMOD-S is written in Fortran and requires a PC with math-coprocessor. It was concluded that DRAINMOD-S is a useful tool for design and evaluation of irrigation and drainage systems in irrigated arid lands.     

Conjunctive use of saline and non-saline irrigation waters in semi-arid regions

In arid and semi-arid regions, effluent from sub-surface drainage systems is often saline and during the dry season its disposal poses an environmental problem. A field experiment was conducted from 1989 to 1992 using saline drainage water (EC=10.5–15.0 dS/m) together with fresh canal water (EC=0.4 dS/m) for irrigation during the dry winter season. The aim was to find if crop production would still be feasible and soil salinity would not be increased unacceptably by this practice. The experimental crops were a winter crop, wheat, and pearl-millet and sorghum, the rainy season crops, grown on a sandy loam soil. All crops were given a pre-plant irrigation with fresh canal water. Subsequently, the wheat crop was irrigated four times with different sequences of saline drainage water and canal water. The rainy season crops received no further irrigation as they were rainfed. Taking the wheat yield obtained with fresh canal water as the potential value (100%), the mean relative yield of wheat irrigated with only saline drainage water was 74%. Substitution of canal water at first post-plant irrigation and applying thereafter only saline drainage water, increased the yield to 84%. Cyclic irrigations with canal and drainage water in different treatments resulted in yields of 88% to 94% of the potential. Pearl-millet and sorghum yields decreased significantly where 3 or 4 post-plant irrigations were applied with saline drainage water to previous wheat crop, but cyclic irrigations did not cause yield reduction. The high salinity and sodicity of the drainage water increased the soil salinity and sodicity in the soil profile during the winter season, but these hazards were eliminated by the sub-surface drainage system during the ensuing monsoon periods. The results obtained provide a promising option for the use of poor quality drainage water in conjunction with fresh canal water without undue yield reduction and soil degradation. This will save the scarce canal water, reduce the drainage water disposal needs and associated environmental problems.     

Effect of irrigation water salinity on transpiration and on leaching requirements: A case study for bell peppers

Maximization of crop yields when the salinity of irrigation water is high depends on providing plant transpiration needs and evaporative losses, as well as on maintaining minimum soil solution salinity through leaching. The effect of the amount of applied irrigation water was studied regarding transpiration, yields, and leaching fractions as a function of irrigation water salinity. Bell pepper (Capsicum annum L. vars. Celica and 7187) in protected growing environments in the Arava Valley of Israel was used as a case study crop to analyze water quantity–salinity interactions in a series of lysimeter, field and model simulation experiments. Leaching fraction was found to be highly influenced by plant feedback, as transpiration depended on root zone salinity. Increased application of saline irrigation water led to increased transpiration and yields. The higher the salinity level, the greater the relative benefit from increased leaching. The extent of leaching needed to maximize yields when irrigating with saline water may make such practice highly unsustainable.     

Predicting the effects of drainage systems on corn yields

Stress day index (SDI) models were incorporated in the water management simulation model, DRAINMOD, to quantify the effect of soil water stresses on corn yields. The effects of a combination of excessive and deficient soil water conditions were approximated by a simple first-order crop response model, YR = YRw × YRd, where YR is the overall relative yield, and YRw and YRd are the relative yields due to excessive and deficient soil water conditions, respectively.The accuracy of the modified water management model was evaluated by comparing predicted and measured corn yields for 16 plot years of experimental data on the Tidewater Research Station near Plymouth, NC. The predicted and measured results were in good agreement with the model describing 63% of the variation in yields for the 12-year period.Use of the modified water management model was demonstrated by simulating the performance of several drainage system designs for a Portsmouth sandy loam soil. The results of the simulation show that a maximum long-term relative yield of 80% of the potential corn yield can be obtained with a drain spacing of 40 m or less with good surface drainage. Higher yields could not be obtained without irrigation to reduce deficit soil water conditions. The response of long-term average corn yields to surface drainage varies inversely with the intensity of subsurface drainage. The 25-year average yield for 100 m spacing was only 47% of the potential yield when the surface drainage was poor as compared to 61% of potential yield for good surface drainage.     

Simulated effects of water table and irrigation scheduling as factors in cotton production

Summary Irrigation is essential for economic production of some crops in semiarid climates. Benefits from irrigation may be partially offset by detrimental effects of rising water tables and salinization. Drainage systems are usually installed when the water table rises to the root zone, but installation of a drainage system and safe disposal of drainage water are expensive. The long-term consequences of a high saline water table on crop production, particularly as related to irrigation scheduling, has not been firmly established. A multiseasonal transient state model, known as the modified van Genuchten-Hanks model, was used to simulate cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production using a three or four in-season irrigation schedule (3irr or 4irr) under both free drainage and water table conditions. Under drainage conditions, irrigation scheduling to avoid applying more water than the soil water-holding capacity during any irrigation event is important, whereas this factor is less important under water table conditions. Excess water during an irrigation causes a rise in the water table, but this water remains available for later crop use which lowers the water table. In the presence of a water table the simulations indicate, (1) higher yields are achieved by applying less irrigation during the crop season and more during the preirrigation for salt leaching purposes, (2) annual applied water must equal evapotranspiration to avoid long-term water table rise or depletion, and (3) high cotton yields can be achieved for several years even if the water table is saline and no drainage occurs if the irrigation water is low in salinity.     

Verification of drainage design criteria in the Nile Delta,Egypt

A monitoring programme to verify the design criteria of subsurface drainage systems was conducted in a pilot area in the Nile Delta in Egypt. The programme, which covered a 9-year period, included the monitoring of the cropping pattern, crop yield, soil salinity, watertable, discharge and salinity of the drainage water and overpressure in the subsurface drainage system. The results showed that the yield of all crops (wheat, berseem, maize, rice and cotton) increased significantly after the installation of the subsurface drainage system. Optimum growing conditions for the combination of crops that are cultivated in rotation in the area required that the watertable midway between the drains had a average depth of 0.80 m. A corresponding drain discharge of 0.4 mm/d was sufficient to cope with the prevailing percolation losses of irrigation water and to maintain favourable soil-salinity levels. The additional natural drainage rate in the area was estimated at 0.5 mm/d. The most effective way to attain these favourable drainage conditions is to install drains at a depth between 1.20 to 1.40 m. For drain-pipe capacity the Manning equation can be used with a design rate of 1.2 mm/d, for collector drains this rate should be increased to 1.8 mm/d to compensate for the higher discharge rates from rice fields. These rates should be used in combination with a roughness coefficient (n) of 0.028 to take sedimentation and irregularities in the alignment into account. When this value of the roughness coefficient is used, no additional safety has to be incorporated in the other design factors (e.g. the design rate).     

Modeling the impact of alternative drainage practices in the northern Corn-belt with DRAINMOD-NII

The hydrologic and water quality impacts of subsurface drainage design and management practices are being investigated through field and simulation studies throughout the northern Corn-belt. Six years of data from an ongoing field study in south central Minnesota (Sands et al., 2008) were used to support a modeling effort with DRAINMOD-NII to investigate: (1) the performance of the model in a region where soils are subject to seasonal freeze-thaw and (2) the long-term hydrologic and water quality characteristics of conventional and alternative subsurface drainage practices. Post-calibration model prediction and efficiency were deemed satisfactory using standard model performance criteria. Prediction errors were primarily associated with early spring snowmelt hydrology and were attributed to the methods used for simulating snow accumulation and melting processes, in addition to potential sublimation effects on ET estimates. Long-term simulations with DRAINMOD-NII indicated that drainage design and/or management practices proposed as alternatives to conventional design may offer opportunities to reduce nitrate (NO₃)-nitrogen losses without significantly decreasing (and in some cases, increasing) crop yields for a Webster silty clay loam soil at Waseca, Minnesota. The simulation study indicated that both shallow drainage and controlled drainage may reduce annual drainage discharge and NO₃-nitrogen losses by 20-30%, while impacting crop yields from −3% (yield decrease) to 2%, depending on lateral drain spacing. The practice of increasing drainage intensity (decreasing drain spacing) beyond recommended values appears to not significantly affect crop yield but may substantially increase drainage discharge and nitrate-nitrogen losses to surface waters.     

太阳能暗管排水对银北灌区油葵土壤环境及产量影响

针对土壤盐渍化严重影响了宁夏银北灌区土壤环境和作物产量的问题,通过太阳能暗管排水区和非暗管排水区对比试验方法,着重研究了2017和2018两年太阳能暗管长时间持续排水对土壤环境和油葵产量的影响。结果表明:太阳能暗管排水可以有效改善土壤环境,使两年的地下水平均埋深分别增加4.5%和6.4%,地下水平均矿化度分别降低7.9%和9.0%,两年土壤平均脱盐率分别为4.7%和8.2%,对表层土壤的脱盐效果最为明显。同时提高了油葵产量和水分生产效率,两年油葵产量分别提高13.8%和21.6%,灌溉水分生产效率分别增加13.3%和21.8%,作物水分生产效率分别增加16.4%和22.9%。综合试验结果和经济成本考虑,油葵生育期灌水2次、播前灌水1次、冬灌1次,生育期5-9月持续排水,这是适宜惠农当地太阳能暗管排水条件下油葵的灌排制度。     

Economic evaluation of salinity,drainage and non-uniformity of infiltrated irrigation water

Salinity, drainage and non-uniformity of irrigation water are important components in determining optimal water application and related profitability. A crop-water production function assuming steady state conditions is incorporated in a long-run economic model to investigate the combined effects of salinity, irrigation uniformity and different drainage requirements at the field scale for the specific crop.The analysis was conducted for corn and cotton as sensitive and tolerant crops to salinity, respectively. Optimum applied water and associated profits, yield and drainage volumes were computed for each crop. The computations were done for the condition that no drainage system was required and also where a drainage system was required and the drainage water was disposed of to either a free off-farm facility or to an on-farm evaporation pond constructed on productive or non-productive land.The main findings are that type of drainage disposal system affects the optimal values of applied water, profits, yield and drainage volumes, except for uniform water applications and non-saline irrigation water. Another finding is that in the long run, under saline conditions and/or different drainage disposal systems, a sensitive crop such as corn is not profitable and goes out of production. In general the profit levels associated with the various drainage options are in the order of no drainage requirement ? free off-farm facility > on-farm evaporation pond on non-productive land > on-farm evaporation pond on productive land. Uniformity of irrigation water affects values of the analyzed variables and the effects are greatest for the cases of on-farm evaporation ponds. Pumping cost effects are quite small, but water price effects are more significant. Breeding the crops for increased salinity tolerance has little effect when irrigating with water of low salinity and/or low irrigation uniformity.     

Salinity dynamics of wetland ditches receiving drainage from irrigated agricultural land in arid and semi-arid regions

Agricultural drainage ditches are considered as wetland ecosystems when they possess the characteristic hydrology, soil and vegetation of wetlands. In arid and semi-arid regions, wetlands receiving agricultural drainage have to cope with the conservative nature of salts leached from soils. Excessive accumulation of salts in wetlands may threaten the ecological functions of the system, thus endanger the sustainability of the drainage disposal system and the productivity of the farmlands. Based on the salt and water balance in a farmland drainage and wetland disposal system in arid regions, this paper presents a thorough investigation on salinity dynamics of wetland ditches receiving agricultural drainage. Theoretical equations were derived to describe salinity changes in water and soils of wetlands under both equilibrium and pre-equilibrium conditions; a case example was then used to display model predictions of salinity variations over time under different salinity management goals. The example wetlands are de facto drainage ditches that possess wetland characteristics, and the ditch to farmland area ratio is 9.1%. The results showed that salt as a conservative substance will eventually concentrate in the ditches to a very high level if there is little outflow discharge; but the salt accumulation process may develop over a relatively long time, which opens a time window for management practice, such as flushing the salts when fresh water is available. By assuming different threshold salinity levels in the ditches, the proposed analytical models were used to predict time intervals when fresh water recharge is needed to bring down the salinity level in the ditches. For the study area under current drainage practice, the predicted outflow to inflow ratio for salinity was 58.2% and reached an equilibrium level of 9.60 g L⁻¹ in the ditches; salinity levels in the ditches reached threshold values of 5, 7 and 9 g L⁻¹, in about 1, 4 and 12 years, respectively. Salinity analysis showed that the salt retention capacity of the ditch soil is limited, the soil salinity varied according to the ditch water; salt removal through plant uptake and harvest was insignificant. This study indicates that although salt concentration in wetlands receiving agricultural drainage may eventually build up to a critical level, timely recharge with fresh water may bring down salt content in the wetlands and sustain adequate environmental and ecological functions of such a drainage disposal system in arid and semi-arid regions.     

In situ use of groundwater by alfalfa

Disposal of saline drainage water is a significant problem for irrigated agriculture. One proposal is to recycle drainage water to irrigate salt tolerant crops until the volume has been reduced sufficiently to enable final disposal by evaporation. Part of this concept requires in situ crop water reuse from shallow groundwater; and data is needed to quantify the potential use of groundwater by alternative crops. A column lysimeter study was initiated to determine the potential crop water use from shallow groundwater by alfalfa as a function of groundwater quality and depth to groundwater. The results demonstrated that up to 50% of the crop water use could be met from shallow groundwater (<1.2 m) with an electrical conductivity less than 4 dS/m, and that the potential crop water use from deeper groundwater (2 m) increased over the years. The columns with high salinity (>4 dS/m) in the shallow groundwater experienced increased salinity in the soil profile with time, which resulted in reduced crop water use from shallow groundwater. Yields decreased with time as the groundwater salinity increased and periodic leaching will be required for in situ use to be a sustainable practice. Statistical analysis of crop yield demonstrated that there was significant use of groundwater with an EC of 6 dS/m for a few years.     

A model of crop yield response to irrigation water salinity: theory,testing and application

A relationship between crop yield and irrigation water salinity is developed. The relationship can be used as a production function to quantify the economic ramifications of practices which increase irrigation water salinity, such as disposal of surface and sub-surface saline drainage waters into the irrigation water supply system. Guidelines for the acceptable level of irrigation water salinity in a region can then be established. The model can also be used to determine crop suitability for an irrigation region, if irrigation water salinity is high. Where experimental work is required to determine crop yield response to irrigation water salinity, the model can be used as a first estimate of the response function. The most appropriate experimental treatments can then be allocated. The model adequately predicted crop response to water salinity, when compared with experimental data.Abbreviations A Crop threshold rootzone salinity in Equation of Maas and Hoffman (dS/m) - B Fractional yield reduction per unit rootzone salinity increase (dS/m)^–1 - C_i Average salinity of applied water (dS/m) - C_r Average salinity of rainfall (dS/m) - C_s Linearly averaged soil solution salinity in the rootzone (dS/m) - C_se Linearly averaged soil saturation extract salinity in the rootzone (dS/m) - C_w Average salinity of irrigation supply water (dS/m) - C_z Soil solution salinity at the base of the crop rootzone (dS/m) - C Mean root water uptake weighted soil salinity in equation of Bernstein and François (1973) (dS/m) - E_p Depth of class A pan evaporation during the growing season (m) - ET_a Actual crop evapotranspiration during the growing season (m) - ET_m Maximum crop evapotranspiration during the growing season (m) - I The total depth of water applied during the growing season (including irrigation water and rainfall) (m) - K Empirical coefficient in leaching equation of Rhoades (1974) - K_c Crop coefficient for equation of Doorenbos and Pruit (1977) to estimate crop water use - K_y Yield response factor in equation of Doorenbos and Kassam (1974) - LF The leaching fraction - Ro Depth of rainfall runoff during the growing season (m) - R Depth of rainfall during the growing season (m) - W Depth of irrigation water applied during the growing season (m) - Y Relative crop yield - Y_a Actual crop yield (kg) - Y_m Maximum crop yield (kg) - /z Dimensionless depth for equation of Raats (1974), and empirical coefficient for the leaching equation of Hoffman and van Genutchen (1983)     

Simulated effect of drainage water management operational strategy on hydrology and crop yield for Drummer soil in the Midwestern United States

The hypothetical effects of drainage water management operational strategy on hydrology and crop yield at the Purdue University Water Quality Field Station (WQFS) were simulated using DRAINMOD, a field-scale hydrologic model. The WQFS has forty-eight cropping system treatment plots with 10 m drain spacing. Drain flow observations from a subset of the treatment plots with continuous corn (Zea mays L.) were used to calibrate the model, which was then used to develop an operational strategy for drainage water management. The chosen dates of raising and lowering the outlet during the crop period were 10 and 85 days after planting, respectively, with a control height of 50 cm above the drain (40 cm from the surface). The potential effects of this operational strategy on hydrology and corn yield were simulated over a period of 15 years from 1991 to 2005. On average, the predicted annual drain flows were reduced by 60% (statistically significant at 95% level). This is the most significant benefit of drainage water management since it may reduce the nitrate load to the receiving streams. About 68% of the reduced drain flow contributed to an increase in seepage. Drainage water management increased the average surface runoff by about 85% and slightly decreased the relative yield of corn crop by 0.5% (both are not statistically significant at 95% level). On average, the relative yield due to wet stress (RYw) decreased by 1.3% while relative yield due to dry stress (RYd) increased by 1%. Overall, the relative crop yield increased in 5 years (within a range of 0.8-6.9%), decreased in 8 years (within a range of 0.2-5.5%), and was not affected in the remaining 2 years. With simulated drainage water management, the water table rose above the conventional drainage level during both the winter and the crop periods in all years (except 2002 crop season). The annual maximum winter period rise ranged between 47 cm (1995) and 87 cm (1992), and the annual maximum crop period rise ranged between no effect (2002) and 47 cm (1993).     

Calibration and validation of a three-dimensional subsurface irrigation hydrology model

An enhanced subsurface irrigation hydrology model, developed by Buyuktas & Wallender (Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, ASCE 128(3): 71–81), is calibrated and validated using 2 years of data collected in a field in Broadview Water District in California, USA. The first year data is used to calibrate the model, while the second year data is used for model validation. Calibration of the model is achieved by trial-and-error adjustments of model parameters to match simulated results with measured cumulative drain flow, water table depth and salinity of the drain flow. Adjustments of the model input parameters include van Genuchten soil hydraulic function parameters (n and K_s), maximum allowed pressure head at the soil surface and irrigation duration. For validation of the model, a particular case is chosen to match the measured drain flow, water table depth and drain flow salinity, based on the graphical and objective functions used. It is found, through model validation, that the predicted drain flow is slightly lower than the observed data, while the predicted water table depth is slightly higher.     

Changes in spatial and temporal variability of SAR affected by shallow groundwater management of an irrigated field, California

In the irrigated western U.S. disposal of drainage water has become a significant economic and environmental liability. Development of irrigation water management practices that reduce drainage water volumes is essential. One strategy combines restricted drainage outflow (by plugging the drains) with deficit irrigation to maximize shallow groundwater consumption by crops, thus reducing drainage that needs disposal. This approach is not without potential pitfalls; upward movement of groundwater in response to crop water uptake may increase salt and sodium concentrations in the root zone. The purposes for this study were: to observe changes in the spatial and temporal distributions of SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) and salt in a field managed to minimize drainage discharge; to determine if in situ drainage reduction strategy affects SAR distribution in the soil profile; and to identify soil or management factors that can help explain field wide variability. We measured SAR, soil salinity (EC_1:1) and soil texture over 3 years in a 60-ha irrigated field on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, California. At the time we started our measurements, the field was beginning to be managed according to a shallow groundwater/drainage reduction strategy. Soil salinity and SAR were found to be highly correlated in the field. The observed spatial and temporal variability in SAR was largely a product of soil textural variations within the field and their associated variations in apparent leaching fraction. During the 3-year study period, the percentage of the field in which the lower profile (90-180 cm) depth averaged SAR was above 10, increased from 20 to 40%. Since salinity was increasing concomitantly with SAR, and because the soil contained gypsum, sodium hazard was not expected to become a limiting factor for long term shallow groundwater management by drain control. It is anticipated that the technology will be viable for future seasons.     

Simulated crop production under saline high water table conditions

Summary Many irrigated lands in semi-arid regions of the world are underlain with saline high water tables. Water management is critical to maintain crop productivity under these conditions. A multi-seasonal, transient state model was used to simulate cotton and alfalfa production under various irrigation management regimes. The variables included in-season water application of 1.0 or 0.6 potential evapotranspiration (PET), and 18 or 33 cm pre-irrigation amounts for cotton. The water table was initially at a 1.5m depth and a 9 dS/m salinity. A impermeable lower boundary at 2.5 m depth was imposed. Irrigation water salinity was 0.4 dS/m. Climatic conditions typical to the San Joaquin Valley of California were used for PET and precipitation values. The simulations were for no-lateral flow and also lateral flow whereby the water table was raised to its initial level prior to each irrigation event. Uniform application of 1.0 PET provided for relative cotton lint yields and alfalfa yields of 95% or more for at least 4 years. In-season irrigation of cotton with 0.6 PET had higher yields when associated with a 33 cm rather than an 18 cm pre-irrigation. Lateral flow provided for higher cotton lint yields production than the no-lateral flow case for each pre-irrigation treatment. The beneficial effects of lateral flow diminished with time because of the additional salt which accumulated and became detrimental to crop production. Substantial alfalfa yield reductions occurred after the first year when irrigation was set at 0.6 PET regardless of other conditions. Evaporation losses from the soil during the cotton fallow season were higher when the soil water content entering the fallow season were higher.Research was supported by the University of California Salinity/ Drainage Task Force     

Effect of sustained saline irrigation on soil salinity and crop yields

Summary Field studies were conducted for a period of ten years (1974 to 1984) on Typic Ustochrept to determine the sustained effects of saline irrigation water electrical conductivity (EC _iw ) 3.2 dS/m, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) 21 (mmol/1)^1/2 and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) 4me/1, on the build up of salinity in the soil profile and yield of crops grown under fixed rice-wheat and maize/millet-wheat rotations. Saline waters were continuously used with and without the addition of gypsum (at the rate needed to reduce RSC to zero) applied at each irrigation. In maize/millet-wheat rotation, two additional treatments viz. (i) irrigation with 50% extra water over and above the normal 6 cm irrigation, and (ii) irrigation with good water and saline water alternately, were also kept. The results showed that salinity increased rapidly in the profile during the initial years but after five years (1979–1984) the average soluble salt concentration in 0–90 cm soil profile did not appreciably vary and the mean EC _e values under saline water treatment remained almost similar to EC _iw , under both the crop rotations.Saline water irrigation increased pH and Na saturation of the soil, reduced water infiltration rate and decreased yields of maize, rice and wheat. The differences in the build up of salinity and ESP of the soil under the two cropping sequences seemed to be related with the differences in leaching that occurred under rice-wheat and maize/millet-wheat rotations. Application of gypsum increased the removal of Na from the profile, appreciably decreased the pH and Na saturation and improved water infiltration rate and raised crop yields. Application of non-saline and saline waters alternately was found to be a useful practice but irrigation with 50% extra water to meet the leaching requirement did not control salinity and hence lowered crop yields.     

The effect of salinity on water productivity of wheat under deficit irrigation above shallow groundwater

Saline groundwater is often found at shallow depth in irrigated areas of arid and semi-arid regions and is associated with problems of soil salinisation and land degradation. The conventional solution is to maintain a deeper water-table through provision of engineered drainage disposal systems, but the sustainability of such systems is disputed. This shallow groundwater should, however, be seen as a valuable resource, which can be utilised via capillary rise (i.e. sub-irrigation). In this way, it is possible to meet part of the crop water requirement, even where the groundwater is saline, thus decreasing the need for irrigation water and simultaneously alleviating the problem of disposing of saline drainage effluent. Management of conditions within the root zone can be achieved by means of a controlled drainage system.A series of lysimeter experiments have permitted a detailed investigation of capillary upward flow from a water-table controlled at shallow depth (1.0 m) under conditions of moderately high (5 mm/day) evaporative demand and with different levels of salinity. Experiments were conducted on a wheat crop grown in a sandy loam soil. Groundwater salinity was held at values from 2 to 8 dS/m while supplementary (deficit) irrigation was applied at the surface with salinity in the range 1-4 dS/m.Our experiments show that increased salinity decreased total water uptake by the crop, but in most treatments wheat still extracted 40% of its requirement from the groundwater, similar to the proportion reported for non-saline conditions. Yield depression was limited to 30% of maximum when the irrigation water was of relatively good quality (1 and 2 dS/m) even with saline groundwater (up to 6 dS/m). Crop water productivity (grain yield basis) was around 0.35 kg/m³ over a wide range of salinity conditions when calculated conventionally on the basis of total water use, but was generally above 1.0 kg/m³ if calculated on the basis of irrigation input only.