Total Salt, Specific Ion, and Fertilizer Element Concentrations and Balances in the Irrigation and Drainage Waters of the Twin Falls Tract in Southern Idaho

Carter, D.L. and Robbins, C.W. and Bondurant, J.A. (1973) Total Salt, Specific Ion, and Fertilizer Element Concentrations and Balances in the Irrigation and Drainage Waters of the Twin Falls Tract in Southern Idaho. USDA-ARS No. ARS-W-4. 37 pp.

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Abstract

Public interest in environmental quality has
aroused concern and speculation about the effects
of irrigation and the application of fertilizers
on the quality of surface and ground
waters. The Environmental Pollution Panel of
the President's Science Advisory Committee,
and other groups, have recommended that high
priority be given to investigating the sources of
total salts, specific ions, and nutrients that
enter surface and ground waters. One source is
drainage from irrigated areas or irrigation return
flows. More information is needed about
the quality of irrigation return flows under various
management systems and climatic environments
and on representative soil types. Such
information is basic for determining practices to
improve the quality of return flows and in
planning new irrigation projects.

The NO₃-N, PO₄-P, and total salt concentrations
were measured in irrigation and
drainage waters on the Twin Falls Canal Company
irrigation tract in southern Idaho. This
information was combined with a water balance
to estimate input-output balances for these components,
and results have been reported. The
input-output balances for other specific ionic
components have been computed for the irrigation
and drainage waters of that tract. Results
from these investigations and detailed information
on specific ion concentrations, temperature
and flow characteristics of drainage tunnels, tile-relief
well complexes, and large surface drains
are reported herein.

Item Type:	Technical Bulletin
NWISRL Publication Number:	0253
Subjects:	Soil > Amendments > Fertilizer Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:57
Last Modified:	17 Feb 2017 19:49
Item ID:	1101
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/1101