Effect of Grain Straw and Furrow Irrigation Stream Size on Soil Erosion and Infiltration

Brown, M.J. (1985) Effect of Grain Straw and Furrow Irrigation Stream Size on Soil Erosion and Infiltration. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 40(4):389-391.

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Abstract

Loose straw was placed by hand in furrows of a bean field at the rate of 1.5
kg/100 (1 pound/100 feet) to test its effect on soil erosion and infiltration at two flow
rates. Straw significantly (a = .01) reduced sediment losses and increased infiltration at
both flow rates on the Portneuf silt loam soil. After 6 hours of a 12-hour irrigation, the
straw furrow appeared to be wetted enough that the irrigation water could have been
turned off. A 12-hour irrigation was required to wet the no-straw furrows to the plant
row. Straw increased infiltration 50% in 10 hours. There were 98 and 47 kg (216 and 104
lbs) net sediment yields during six irrigations from the no-straw and straw-treated furrows,
respectively, at the lower flow rates and 224 and 66 kg (494 and 146 lbs), respectively,
at the high flow rates. Straw reduced net sediment yields 52 and 71 % during the
irrigation season at the low and high flow rates, respectively.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0555
Subjects:	Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion > Sraw residue Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Infiltration > Straw residue Soil > Erosion Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:52
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2017 21:40
Item ID:	440
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/440