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Furrow irrigation water-quality effects on soil loss and infiltration

Lentz, R.D. and Sojka, R.E. and Carter, D.L. (1996) Furrow irrigation water-quality effects on soil loss and infiltration. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 60:238-245.

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Abstract

Irrigation-induced erosion is a serious problem in the western USA
where irrigation water quality can vary seasonally and geographically.
We hypothesized that source-water electrical conductivity (EC) and
sodium adsorption ratio (SAR = Na/[(Ca + Mg)/2]^0.5, where concentrations
are in millimoles of charge per liter) affect infiltration and
sediment losses from irrigated furrows, and warrant specific consideration
in irrigation-induced erosion models. On a fallow Portneuf silt
loam (coarse-silty, mixed, mesic Durixerollic Calciorthid), tail-water
sediment loss was measured from trafficked and nontrafficked furrows
irrigated with waters of differing quality. Treatments were the four
combinations of low or high EC (0.6 and 2 dS m-1) and low or high
SAR (0.7 and 12 [mmolc L-1]^0.5). Slope is 1%. Twelve irrigations were
monitored. Each furrow received two irrigations. Main effects for
water quality, traffic, and first vs. second irrigations were significant
for total soil loss, mean sediment concentration, total outflow, net
infiltration, and advance time. Average tail-water soil losses were 2.5
Mg ha-1 from low EC/low SAR furrows, 4.5 Mg ha-1 from low EC/
high SAR furrows, 3.0 Mg ha-1 from high EC/high SAR furrows;
and 1.8 Mg ha-1 from high EC/low SAR furrows. Elevating water
EC decreased sediment concentration from 6.2 to 4.6 g L-1, but
increasing SAR increased sediment concentration from 6.2 to 8.7 g
L-1. Net infiltration decreased 14% in high SAR compared with low
SAR treatments. Soil loss increased 68% for second irrigations, and
net infiltration fell 23% in trafficked furrows, but water-quality effects
were the same. Water quality significantly influenced infiltration and
erosion processes in irrigated furrows on Portneuf soils.

Item Type: Article
NWISRL Publication Number: 0891
Subjects: Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Infiltration
Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Runoff losses
Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User: Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2010 21:54
Last Modified: 22 Nov 2016 23:39
Item ID: 652
URI: https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/652