Water and erosion management with multiple applications of polyacrylamide in furrow irrigation

Sojka, R.E. and Lentz, R.D. and Westermann, D.T. (1998) Water and erosion management with multiple applications of polyacrylamide in furrow irrigation. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 62:1672-1680.

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Abstract

Polyacrylamide (PAM) in furrow irrigation water eliminates 94%
of runoff sediment. Higher infiltration (15-50%) can result in upper-field
overirrigation. We hypothesized that PAM would lengthen advance
time, but that interactions with flow rate and wheel-track (WT)
furrows would occur, influencing erosion and infiltration with potential
for improved water management. A 2-yr study conducted on 1.5%
slope Portneuf soil (Durinodic Xeric Haplocalcid) was irrigated with
10 g m-3 PAM in advancing 23 L min-1 furrow streams (reduced to
19 L min-1 after advance) (PAM treatment, 11) or without PAM
(control, C). Initial inflows in 1994 were 23 L min- 1 (normal flow
rate, N) or 45 L min- 1 (high flow rate, H) with or without PAM. The
application of PAM at 23 L min-1 (PN) increased 2-yr mean advance
time 33% and reduced runoff soil loss 88% compared with controls
(CN). Polyacrylamide applied at 45 L min-1 (PH) reduced advance
time 8% and soil loss 75% compared with CN, whereas untreated 45
L min-1 inflows (CH) cut advance time 42% but raised soil loss
158%. The CH and PH raised infiltration 11 and 35% more than CN
respectively. Polyacrylamide halted erosion in all furrows, but in WT
furrows had no effect on advance time and Bide infiltration effect
after two or three irrigations. This is mainly attributed to erosion and
deposition increasing control-furrow wetted perimeters; accumulated
PAM may also slightly affect seal conductivity. Polyacrylamide raised
aggregate stability from 54 to 80% in 1993 and from 63 to 84% in
1994. In 1994, PAM reduced sod strength in furrows from 1.7 to
1.1 Mpa.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0973
Subjects:	Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion > Polyacrylamide Polyacrylamide (PAM) > Water-soluble PAM (WSPAM) > Application Strategies Polyacrylamide (PAM) > Water-soluble PAM (WSPAM) > Erosion control Soil > Erosion Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Users 6 not found.
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:54
Last Modified:	17 Nov 2016 16:19
Item ID:	704
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/704