WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY

Wasteland
 A land is said to be wasteland once it becomes unproductive for
cultivation, unusable for habitation due to the following factors or
causes;

i. Waterlogging
ii. Salinity
iii. Erosion
iv. Land Slide
v. Overgrazing
vi. Mining Operation
vii. Industrial Effluent
viii. Brick Fields, etc.
 Out of all the above causes, waterlogging and salinity are two
important causes of wasteland.
 WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY

Water-logging
 It is defined as rendering the soil unproductive due to excessive
watering and creation of anaerobic conditions. Thus, a cropland is
said to be waterlogged when the soil pores within the root zones
of the plant are deprived of normal air circulation due to high water
table (WT).
Causes of Water-logging
 Excessive Rainfall
 Inadequate surface drainage leads to stagnation of water over
the surface for longer period giving rise to heavy percolation
and thus, water table is made to rise up.
 When the flooding method irrigation is used, area nearby is
waterlogged.
 Unlined canal system continues its seepage all the time
making areas saturated with water.
 A low cropland is liable to be waterlogged.
 WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY
 Low permeability of soil, allows more water to percolate
thereby rendering the areas waterlogged.
 Occasional spills of flood in summer time allow water to
stagnate in low lying areas.
 Water from upper reaches causes a subsoil flow which adds to
the saturation of soil below.
 Obstructions of natural drainage or stream by roads, railways,
irrigation canals are also the causes of waterlogging.
 A cropland has the possibility to be waterlogged if a big
reservoir is constructed nearby.
 Natural causes like earthquake may suddenly obstruct the
normal groundwater flow and the area near this obstruction is
prone to be waterlogged.
 WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY
Causes of Waterlogging
 WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY

Adverse Effects of Waterlogging

 Anaerobic conditions in the root zone of the crop is created,
i.e., saturation of soil pores cuts off the normal air circulation
which retards required activity of soil bacteria for plant growth.

 The proposed growth of water loving plants takes place in

waterlogged area. These plants interfere the growth of useful
crops.

 Tillage operations become difficult and cultivations are

delayed.

 Temperature of soil is lowered due to rise in water table and

hence, bacterial activities are retarded causing less food
available for the plant.
 WATERLOGGING AND SALINITY

Adverse Effects of Waterlogging

 Climate of waterlogged area becomes damp. Water may
stagnate here and there. The stagnation pools become
breeding places of mosquitoes. The climate thus, becomes
extremely detrimental to the health of the community.

 Alkaline soils are impermeable in nature and it thus, helps in

waterlogged above it.
Remedial Measures
Land Drainage
 The necessity of land drainages, i.e., both surface and subsurface
drainages has been emphasized in remedial measures of
wasteland management.
 Drains may be classified as follows;
i. Surface Drains
Surface Drains may be classified into shallow surface drains
and deep open drain.

ii. Shallow Surface Drains

 It is trapezoidal in cross-section. They are mainly used to
remove the surface runoff and a part of excess irrigation
water.
 It reduces the percolation of storm water. These are useful
if there are local accumulation of storm water in some
depressions as shown in the figure enclosed.
 Lateral outlets and main outlets are necessary to dispose
the shallow surface drain water.
 This shallow surface drain are not needed if the
topography has a good slope with sufficient number of well
defined drainages. They are also not needed in arid regions
with little rainfall.
 These are mainly unlined drains and hence, maintenance
problems against erosion and removal of aquatic weeds
are always there.
Natural Drains
 CANAL LINING AND WASTELAND
Artificial Drain
 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
Subsurface Drainage System
 The Drainage of waterlogged area by surface drains has few
limitations or drawbacks. A part of valuable crop land area is lost
in Networks of Surface Drains.

 These Drains are located at suitable depth below the ground level
and they are covered with fitter of coarse sand.

 Gravitational water under pressure enters the tile drains through

the open joints upto about 10 cm wide at the end of tiles. These
drains have their outlets in deep Surface Drains.

 Tile Drains are pipe Drains made up of porous material

earthenware. The diameter varies from 10 cm to 30 cm. the Drains
are laid below the ground level.

 The trenches in which they are laid are trapezoidal in shape. After
lying the drains, trenches are back filled with excavated material
and sand (figure enclosed).
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 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
 If the soil is less pervious, drains are surrounded by graded gravel
as shown in figure enclosed. This filter is called envelope filter
which prevent inflow of soil into the drain.

 When bed level of outlet Drain is higher than that of tile Drain, a
pumping outlet system has to be provided. A sump storage for the
pump with outflow from tile drain is required. From that sump
storage water is pumped out and discharged to the outlet channel
figure enclosed.
 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
Crass-Section of Sub Surface Drain
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Cross-Section of Title Drain in Less Pervious Soil
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Tile Drain Water Pumped out to Outlet Drain
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Vertical Drainage/ Tubewells
 Ground Water
Discharge from an Unconfined Aquifer (Case-I)
 Ground Water
Discharge Calculation in Confined Aquifer
 Bio agricultural methods

Certain types of grass has been used on the water logged and saline
area such as Sudan grass or Kallar grass

Increase the evapotranspiration and lower the salt level in root zone
Equation for the spacing of drain?

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 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY

Salinity
 It is the process of accumulation of some harmful salts like sodium
sulphates, sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, etc, on the soil
surface and at some depth below the upper surface due to rise of
water table. Salinity becomes high if water table remains close to
the surface for a long period.

 Productivity or fertility of an agricultural land is greatly effected

due to both waterlogging and salinity. A land thus, become a
wasteland once waterlogging and salinity which are commonly
known as twin problems, are allowed to continue.

 Therefore, management of this wasteland which is most commonly

termed as land reclamation to restore this un-culturable and
unproductive land to cultivation.
 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
Saline Land

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 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
Causes of Salinity
 Sea water is mostly saline. If the entrance or ingress of sea
water in areas close to the sea takes place, the areas become
saline.
 If alternate absorption and evaporation of water takes place,
salt moves to the soil surface.

 Thin irrigation adopted in canal irrigation over extensive area

rather than intensive irrigation over small area causes
Stalinization.

 Seasonal and occupational irrigation of soils containing salts

in lower level gives rise to salinity than area with perennial
irrigation.

 Water from upland is poor and it carries salinity to cropland.

 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
 Underlying layers of soil contain salts. If water table rises,
these salts are brought up with water which evaporates leaving
the salt on the surface.

 Effluent waste released by human activities contains salt. This

effluent eventually enters the soil to convert the area into
saline.

 Industrial waste product contains salt and other harmful

agents. This waste product along with pollution converts water
and soil that come in contact with it to saline.

 Some of the confined aquifers contain saline water. When deep

tube well penetrates this layer and water from such well is
pumped out for irrigation, soil becomes saline.
 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
Adverse Effects of Salinity
 Harmful sodium salts are accumulated around the root zone,
soil becomes alkaline, pH value of soil goes above normal (7 to
8.5) making soil less productive.
 All types of crops cannot be grown as some crops are very
sensitive to salinity.
 Nutritional imbalances may cause diseases to livestock as
fodders, i.e., hay grown on alkaline soil contains molybdenum,
selenium and low amount of zinc.
 Saline soil has a very low absorption or infiltration capacity of
rain water. So rain falling on such saline land goes as runoff
causing flood to adjoining areas.
 Reduction in nitrification process takes place due to cultivation
of some crops like rice, etc. and excess water content in the
soil.
 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
Salinity Management Techniques
 Various management techniques are used to control salinity.
These are Leaching, more frequent irrigations; additional
leaching; pre-plant irrigation; land leveling; selection of more
salt-tolerant crops; soil profile modification; changing source of
water supply; changing irrigation method and installing artificial
drainage.
i) Leaching
In this process water is applied in excess of evapotranspiration
needs of the crop. How much leaching is required, depends upon
the quality of the irrigation water, the crop grown, and the
frequency and uniformity of irrigation.

ii) More Frequent Irrigation

As water is used up by crop for its growth, salts available in water
and soil, concentrate in the soil solution. Thus salt concentration
is lower after an irrigation but is highest before an irrigation.
Therefore, frequent irrigates keep the salt concentration in soil
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solution low.
 WATER LOGGING AND SALINITY
iii) Pre-plant Irrigation

Salts often accumulate near the soil surface during fallow

periods, particularly when water tables are higher or winter
rainfall is below normal. Under such conditions, seed germination
or seedling preparation are badly affected. Therefore, a pre-plant
irrigation of adequate amount of irrigation water must be given.

iv. Land Leveling

If land is not leveled or graded precisely, water in uneven areas
may collect which may lead to salinity problems. Precession land
leveling techniques by laser would help control salinity.

v) Selection of More Salt Tolerant Crops

Using the saline irrigation water for raising crops would require
use of more salt tolerant crops. Many salt tolerant crops have
been developed and there is a ten-fold range of salt tolerance of
agriculture crops. 26
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vi) Changing Source of Water Supply
A better quality water improves crops yield and control salinity.
However, such water is not always available. Therefore, a blend of
better quality water with low quality water can still control salinity.

vii. Changing Irrigation Method.

Surface irrigation methods, furrow, basin, flood or boarder, are
not flexible enough to combat salinity. In these methods it is
difficult to change frequency of irrigation or depth of water
applied and therefore, efficiency. However, in other irrigation
methods, like sprinkler method and drip method, these changes
can be effected easily.

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Zones of storage reservoir

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