Water Soluble NO3-Nitrogen, PO4-Phosphorus, and Total Salt Balanced on a Large Irrigation Tract

Carter, D.L. and Bondurant, J.A. and Robbins, C.W. (1971) Water Soluble NO3-Nitrogen, PO4-Phosphorus, and Total Salt Balanced on a Large Irrigation Tract. Soil Science Society of America Proceedings. 35(2):331-335.

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Abstract

Return flow from a 82,030-ha (202,700-acre) tract of calcareous
silt loam soils irrigated with water diverted from the
Snake River in southern Idaho increased the downstream total
soluble salt and NO₃-N loads, but decreased the downstream
PO₄-P load. Under the existing water management practice,
50% of the total input water returned to the Snake River as
subsurface drainage. Net total soluble salt output was 2.4 metric
tons/ha (1.0 English ton/acre) and, on the average, was considerably
greater than necessary to maintain a salt balance. Net
NO₃-N output was 33 kg/ha (30 lb/acre). Only about 30% as
much PO₄-P left the tract via drainage water as entered the
tract in irrigation water. As water passed through the soil,
PO₄-P was removed by chemical reactions in the soil, thus
decreasing the concentration in the subsurface drainage water
and decreasing the downstream PO₄-P load. Applied P fertilizer
was not leached into the drainage water.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0168
Subjects:	Mass Import - unclassified
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:50
Last Modified:	07 Mar 2017 23:07
Item ID:	185
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/185