Soil erosion on irrigated lands

Carter, D.L. (1990) Soil erosion on irrigated lands. In: Stewart, B.A. and Nielsen, D.R., (eds.) Irrigation of Agricultural Lands. Agronomy, No. 30. pp. 1143-1171.

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Abstract

Erosion on the upper portion and sedimentation on the lower portion
of fields redistributes topsoil. The results of these processes become visible
when the color of the subsoil differs from that of the topsoil (Fig. 37-1).
The visual evidence of topsoil redistribution would be lacking where subsoil
and topsoil are nearly the same color. Furrow erosion can cause a major
topsoil redistribution on any field and have a simultaneous, severe, negative
impact on crop production.
Typical fields that have been irrigated for about 80 yr are illustrated
in Fig. 37-1, showing the color change as whitish subsoil is mixed with darker_
topsoil. The topsoil distribution varies depending upon the field length and
irrigation practice used over the 80 yr. The deepest topsoil areas, resulting
from deposition, vary from field to field from about the midpoint to the
extreme lower end. Also, there has been a net topsoil loss from most fields,
thereby negatively impacting crop yield.

Item Type:	Book Section
NWISRL Publication Number:	0707
Subjects:	Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion Soil > Erosion Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:54
Last Modified:	03 Jan 2017 17:58
Item ID:	725
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/725