Preventing irrigation furrow erosion with small applications of polymers

Lentz, R.D. and Shainberg, I. and Sojka, R.E. and Carter, D.L. (1992) Preventing irrigation furrow erosion with small applications of polymers. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 56:1926-1932.

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Abstract

Soil erosion is a serious problem threatening sustainability of agriculture
globally and contaminating surface waters. The objective of
this study was to determine whether low concentrations of anionic
polymers in irrigation water would appreciably reduce irrigation furrow
erosion on Portneuf silt loam (coarse-silty, mixed, mesic Durixerollic
Calciorthid), a highly erodible soil. Furrow slope was 1.6%,
furrow length was 175 m, and irrigation rates ranged from 15 to 23
L min-1. Inflow during the first 1 to 2 h of the first 8-h irrigation was
treated. Subsequent irrigations were untreated. Polyacrylamide (PAM)
or starch copolymer solutions were injected into irrigation water entering
furrows at concentrations of 0, 5, 10, and 20 g m-3 . Sediment
loss from polymer-treated furrows was significantly less than that of
control furrows in the first (treated) and second (untreated) irrigations,
but not in the fourth (untreated). The PAM provided better
erosion control than the starch copolymer. Efficacy of PAM treatments
varied depending on its concentration, duration of furrow exposure,
and water flow rate. In the initial (treated) irrigation and at
low flow rates, 10 g m-3 PAM reduced mean sediment load by 97%
compared with untreated furrows. Residual erosion abatement in a
subsequent irrigation, without further addition of PAM, was approximately
50%. The PAM increased net infiltration and promoted greater
lateral infiltration. Effective erosion control was achievable for a material
cost below $3 ha-1 irrigation-1.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0790
Subjects:	Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion Soil > Erosion Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:53
Last Modified:	01 Dec 2016 21:51
Item ID:	591
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/591