FLOW OF WATER INTO AND THROUGHOUT

SOIL,
SALT PROBLEMS IN SOIL AND WATER

IBAL, NIÑO LUIS

IRINCO, FRANCIS IVAN
FLOW OF WATER INTO AND
THROUGHOUT SOIL
• FLOW OF WATER IN THE SOIL IS COMPLEX BECAUSE OF VARIOUS STATES AND
DIRECTION IN WHICH WATER FLOWS AND BECAUSE OF THE FORCES THAT CAUSE IT TO
FLOW. WATER FLOWS DOWNWARDS DUE TO GRAVITY. IT MOVES IN SMALL PORES DUE
TO CAPILLARITY BECAUSE OF ADHESIVE AND COHESIVE FORCES. BECAUSE OF HEAT,
IT VAPOURISES AND DIFFUSES THROUGH SOIL AIR.
• THE RATE AT WHICH GRAVITATIONAL WATER MOVES THROUGH SOIL IS DETERMINED
BY THE SIZE AND CONTINUITY OF PORES. IN COARSE TEXTURED SOILS, IT MOVES
RAPIDLY THROUGH LARGE PORES. IT MOVES LESS RAPIDLY THROUGH FINE TEXTURED
SOILS BECAUSE OF RESISTANCE TO FLOW IN MICRO PORES. MOVEMENT IS RETARDED
BY CLAY PAN OR PLOUGH PAN. A SANDY LAYER TEMPORARILY HALTS PERCOLATION,
BUT ONCE WATER PENETRATES SUCH LAYER, IT CONTINUES TO MOVE DOWNWARDS.
• IRRIGATION WATER MOVES AS A FRONT FROM SATURATED SOIL LAYER TO AN
UNSATURATED LAYER AND MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT IS UNSTEADY. MOVEMENT OF
WATER IS MORE UNIFORM IN MOIST SOIL THAN IN DRY SOIL. HEAT VAPOURISES THE
SOIL- WATER, WHICH DIFFUSES THROUGH SOIL AIR. AS SOIL- WATER IS EVAPORATED
FROM THE SOIL SURFACE, CAPILLARY WATER RISES AND REPLACES PART OF THE
EVAPORATED WATER.
 TYPE # 1. SATURATED FLOW

WATER MOVES BECAUSE OF WATER POTENTIAL GRADIENTS IN THE SOIL

CAUSED MOSTLY BY GRAVITY, SALT CONTENT AND WATER USAGE AND
THE DIRECTION OF FLOW IS FROM A ZONE OF HIGHER TO ZONE OF
LOWER MOISTURE POTENTIAL. WHEN SOIL WATER MOVES MAINLY DUE
TO GRAVITY, WHICH IS AT MOISTURE POTENTIALS GREATER THAN -1/3
BAR, THE MOVEMENT IS CALLED “SATURATED FLOW”.

SATURATED FLOW STARTS WITH WATER INFILTRATION, WHICH IS THE

MOVEMENT OF WATER INTO THE SOIL WHEN PRECIPITATION OF
IRRIGATION WATER IS ON THE SOIL SURFACE. WHEN THE SOIL PROFILE
IS COMPLETELY SATURATED WITH WATER, THE MOVEMENT OF MORE
WATER FLOWING THROUGH THE SATURATED SOIL IS TERMED
PERCOLATION. THE FLOW OF WATER UNDER SATURATED CONDITIONS IS
DETERMINED BY TWO MAJOR FACTORS THE HYDRAULIC FORCE
DRIVING THE WATER THROUGH THE SOIL AND THE EASE WITH WHICH
THE SOIL PORES PERMIT WATER MOVEMENT.
 FACTORS AFFECTING SATURATED FLOW OF WATER

(A) TEXTURE:
THE FLOW OF WATER IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE SIZE OF THE SOIL
PARTICLES. THE LARGER THE SIZE OF THE PARTICLES, THE MORE RAPID IS
THE RATE OF MOVEMENT OF WATER. SANDY SOILS GENERALLY HAVE
HIGHER SATURATED CONDUCTIVITIES THAN FINE TEXTURED CLAY SOILS.

(B) STRUCTURE:
SOILS WITH STABLE GRANULAR STRUCTURE CONDUCT WATER MUCH MORE
RAPIDLY THAN THAT OF UNSTABLE STRUCTURAL UNITS. IN PLATY SOIL
STRUCTURE SATURATED FLOW OF WATER IS POOR IN COMPARISON TO
SPHEROIDAL SOIL STRUCTURE.

(C) ORGANIC MATTER:
ORGANIC MATTER HELPS TO MAINTAIN A HIGH PROPORTION OF MACRO-
PORES IN SOILS WHICH INCREASES THE SATURATED FLOW OF WATER.
(D) INORGANIC COLLOIDS:
Some types of clay are especially conducive to fine pores. Soils high in montmorillonite (2:1)
generally have low conductivities compared to soils with 1: 1 type of clays.

(E) PRESSURE:
The movement of gravitational water is also influenced by the resistance offered by the entrapped
air in the soil. As a result of pockets of air, the soil-air pressure is increased and percolation
decreased and this usually found in the sub-soil horizons.
 TYPE # 2. UNSATURATED FLOW

IT IS THE FLOW OF WATER HELD WITH WATER POTENTIALS LOWER THAN

-1/3 BAR. WATER WILL MOVE TOWARD THE REGION OF LOWER POTENTIAL
(TOWARDS THE GREATER “PULLING” FORCE). IN A UNIFORM SOIL THIS
MEANS THAT WATER MOVES FROM WETTER TO DRIER AREAS. THE WATER
MOVEMENT MAY BE IN ANY DIRECTION (FIG. 7.13).

THE RATE OF FLOW IS GREATER AS THE WATER POTENTIAL GRADIENT (THE

DIFFERENCE IN POTENTIAL BETWEEN WET AND DRY) INCREASES AND AS
THE SIZE OF WATER FILLED PORES ALSO INCREASES.
THE TWO FORCES RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MOVEMENT ARE THE
ATTRACTION OF SOIL SOLIDS FOR WATER (ADHESION) AND CAPILLARITY.
UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS THIS MOVEMENT OCCURS WHEN THE SOIL
MACRO-PORES (CAPILLARY) PORES FILLED WITH AIR AND THE MICRO-
PORES (CAPILLARY) PORES WITH WATER AND PARTLY WITH AIR.
 FACTORS AFFECTING THE UNSATURATED FLOW

UNSATURATED FLOW IS ALSO AFFECTED IN A SIMILAR WAY TO THAT OF

SATURATED FLOW. AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN THE SOIL AFFECTS THE
UNSATURATED FLOW. THE HIGHER THE PERCENTAGE OF WATER IN THE
MOIST SOIL, THE GREATER IS THE SUCTION GRADIENT AND THE MORE
RAPID IS THE DELIVERY.
 TYPE # 3. WATER VAPOR MOVEMENT
THE MOVEMENT OF WATER VAPOR FROM SOILS TAKES PLACE IN TWO WAYS:

(A) INTERNAL MOVEMENT - THE CHANGE FROM THE LIQUID TO THE VAPOR STATE
TAKES PLACE WITHIN THE SOIL, THAT IS, IN THE SOIL PORES AND

(B) EXTERNAL MOVEMENT - THE PHENOMENON OCCURS AT THE LAND SURFACE

AND THE RESULTING VAPOR IS LOST TO THE ATMOSPHERE BY DIFFUSION AND
CONVECTION.

SOIL CONDITIONS AFFECTING WATER VAPOR MOVEMENT. THERE ARE MAINLY TWO
SOIL CONDITIONS THAT AFFECT THE WATER VAPOR MOVEMENT NAMELY MOISTURE
REGIMES AND THERMAL REGIMES. IN ADDITION TO THESE, THE VARIOUS OTHER
FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE THE MOISTURE AND THERMAL REGIMES OF THE SOIL
LIKE ORGANIC MATTER, VEGETATIVE COVER, SOIL COLOR ETC. ALSO AFFECT THE
MOVEMENT OF WATER VAPOR.
SALT PROBLEMS IN SOIL
EFFECTS OF SALINITY ON SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

• SOIL WATER SALINITY CAN AFFECT SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES BY

CAUSING FINE PARTICLES TO BIND TOGETHER INTO AGGREGATES. THIS
PROCESS IS KNOWN AS FLOCCULATION AND IS BENEFICIAL IN TERMS OF
SOIL AERATION, ROOT PENETRATION, AND ROOT GROWTH. ALTHOUGH
INCREASING SOIL SOLUTION SALINITY HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON SOIL
AGGREGATION AND STABILIZATION, AT HIGH LEVELS SALINITY CAN HAVE
NEGATIVE AND POTENTIALLY LETHAL EFFECTS ON PLANTS. AS A
RESULT, SALINITY CANNOT BE INCREASED TO MAINTAIN SOIL
STRUCTURE WITHOUT CONSIDERING POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON PLANT
HEALTH. 
 EFFECTS OF SALTS ON PLANTS

ONE OF THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS FOR THE AGRICULTURE IN MANY COUNTRIES OF THE
WORLD IS REPRESENTED BY THE PRESENCE OF EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF SOLUBLE SALTS IN THE
SOIL. SOIL SALINISATION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MAJOR PROCESS OF LAND DEGRADATION, AND
THE MAIN CAUSE OF LAND DESERTIFICATION, PARTICULARLY IN ARID OR SEMI-ARID AREAS. THIS
PHENOMENON IS MAINLY DUE TO ARTIFICIAL IRRIGATION WITH WATERS OF INADAPTED QUALITY IN
THE ABSENCE OF ADEQUATE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS, ESPECIALLY IN ARID OR SEMI-ARID REGIONS

AS SOILS BECOME MORE SALINE, PLANTS BECOME UNABLE TO DRAW AS MUCH WATER FROM THE
SOIL. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PLANT ROOTS CONTAIN VARYING CONCENTRATIONS OF IONS (SALTS)
THAT CREATE A NATURAL FLOW OF WATER FROM THE SOIL INTO THE PLANT ROOTS. AS THE LEVEL
OF SALINITY IN THE SOIL NEARS THAT OF THE ROOTS, HOWEVER, WATER BECOMES LESS AND LESS
LIKELY TO ENTER THE ROOT. IN FACT, WHEN THE SOIL SALINITY LEVELS ARE HIGH ENOUGH, THE
WATER IN THE ROOTS IS PULLED BACK INTO THE SOIL. THE PLANTS BECOME UNABLE TO TAKE IN
ENOUGH WATER TO GROW. EACH PLANT SPECIES NATURALLY CONTAINS VARYING LEVELS OF ROOT
SALTS. THIS IS WHY SOME PLANTS CAN CONTINUE TO THRIVE WHEN OTHERS HAVE DIED. IF THE
SALINITY CONCENTRATION IN THE SOIL IS HIGH ENOUGH, THE PLANT WILL WILT AND DIE,
REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER APPLIED
SALT PROBLEMS IN WATER
WHAT IS SALINE WATER?
FIRST, WHAT DO WE MEAN BY "SALINE WATER?" WATER THAT IS SALINE CONTAINS
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS (REFERRED TO AS "CONCENTRATIONS") OF DISSOLVED
SALTS, THE MOST COMMON BEING THE SALT WE ALL KNOW SO WELL—SODIUM
CHLORIDE (NACL). IN THIS CASE, THE CONCENTRATION IS THE AMOUNT (BY WEIGHT)
OF SALT IN WATER, AS EXPRESSED IN "PARTS PER MILLION" (PPM). IF WATER HAS A
CONCENTRATION OF 10,000 PPM OF DISSOLVED SALTS, THEN ONE PERCENT (10,000
DIVIDED BY 1,000,000) OF THE WEIGHT OF THE WATER COMES FROM DISSOLVED
SALTS. HERE ARE OUR PARAMETERS FOR SALINE WATER:

FRESH WATER - LESS THAN 1,000 PPM

SLIGHTLY SALINE WATER - FROM 1,000 PPM TO 3,000 PPM
MODERATELY SALINE WATER - FROM 3,000 PPM TO 10,000 PPM
HIGHLY SALINE WATER - FROM 10,000 PPM TO 35,000 PPM
BY THE WAY, OCEAN WATER CONTAINS ABOUT 35,000 PPM OF SALT.
 6 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT DRINK SALT
WATER

• YOUR BODY WILL GET DEHYDRATED - The human kidneys are only able to eliminate a small
amount of salt from the body at a time through urine. In order to remove huge amounts of salt, the kidneys
need to produce a lot of urine to flush the salts out. Essentially, when you drink salt water, your body will
require even more water to dilute and eliminate all of it. In the end, you will just get more dehydrated from
urinating too much.

• YOUR CELLS WILL SHRINK - The human cells are made up of semi-permeable
membranes that allow water to move in and out of them freely. When you drink
salt water, you increase the concentration of sodium outside of your cells. So,
to bring back balance, water moves from the cells to the external space and
this causes the cells to shrink. When cells shrink too much, they become
unable to perform their tasks and this leads to health problems.
• YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE WILL INCREASE - When you have excess salt in your body,
the amount of sodium in your blood circulation increases. This attracts more fluid,
which increases the strain and pressure in your blood vessels. As you get more
dehydrated from your body trying to flush out as much sodium as possible, your vital
organs suffer and this can lead to organ failure. If not managed properly, this condition
will be followed by a comma and eventually death.
• YOU OVERWORK THE KIDNEYS - Your kidneys play a huge role in excreting salt and
water that the body does not need. When there’s a high concentration of salt in the
body, your kidneys will have to work extra hard to maintain balance. An overworked
kidney can fail anytime and this can lead to further health complications.
• A SCALY AND DRY APPEARANCE - Salt water has a way of messing up with the skin
by making it dry, flaky and ashy. This happens when skin cells lose water due to
dehydration. You’ll see this start on the lips before moving to other parts of your body.
• FREQUENT CRAMPS - Another common problem that you will get when you drink salt
water is cramps. It can happen when sodium builds up in the extracellular space of the
cells. The high concentration of sodium outside the cells causes water to move outside.
Cells that form muscles will start to shrink and you can end up with muscle cramps.
With time, your joints will become weaker, too. Eventually, this could hinder your ability
to move.
 SOME WAYS TO REMOVE SODIUM AND
CHLORIDE FROM YOUR HOME WATER SUPPLY

• REVERSE OSMOSIS: In a reverse osmosis filtration system, water flows through a membrane, filtering out some of
the molecules within the water, including sodium and chloride. These molecules, plus some water, are flushed into
your home’s wastewater system. The treated water is stored in a small storage tank until needed. This system can be
installed at the point-of-use, such as at the kitchen sink, or could be used to treat the water for your whole house.

• DISTILLATION: A distillation water treatment system uses temperature change to evaporate and recondense clean
water. Inorganic minerals, such as such as sodium and chloride, do not usually transfer into the condensed water, but
some organic contaminants will. These systems are installed either under the sink or counter and can increase a home’s
energy costs.

• DEIONIZATION: Similar to a water softener, in a deionization system water, is filtered through a resin, but acids and
bases are used rather than salt to regenerate the system. While it is effective, there are some hazardous chemicals
required in running the system.
THANK YOU!