Management of Irrigated soils

IRRIGATION AGRONOMY
Haromaya University

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4-1: Water Logging Problems
 Irrigation induced
Twin twin problems
problems

Water
logging salinization

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 Water logging

 Excess water in the root zone is detrimental to crop

production as:
 it restricts soil aeration,
affects soil temperatures,
hinders with tillage operations, etc.
 Excess water slowly builds up the water table,
which ultimately comes up to the root zone and
even up to the ground level.
 Water logging is a term used to describe the
conditions when the water table comes near the
surface such that crop growth is affected.

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 Causes of Water logging

Over and intensive irrigation:

Awash Valley case
The excess water applied to the land
percolates deep into the ground and joins the
water table.
As the groundwater storage is augmented, the
water table rises.
As soon as the water table comes close to the
land surface, water logging occurs.

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 Poor irrigation management

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• People did not know that “over-irrigating” is the “Great
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of irrigation 7
 Causes of waterlogging cont….
•Inadequate drainage:
The prolonged flooding or inundation results in heavy
percolation of water into the ground, which causes a
rise of water table and hence waterlogging in the
absence of sub-surface drainage system.

•Obstruction of natural surface drainage:

If a natural drainage (stream) near the irrigated land is
obstructed by constructing an embankment for a road,
a canal, a railway etc., the flooding of the area may
occur leading to waterlogging.
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 Causes of Waterlogging cont….
•Obliteration of a natural drainage:
If an existing natural drainage is obliterated
(destroyed), it results in stoppage of natural flow and
consequent flooding and waterlogging.

. Obstruction of natural subsurface drainage:

If there is an impermeable stratum below the land
surface at a relatively low depth, it prevents the
natural downward movement of water into the
subsoil.
It may result in the formation of high-perched water
table, which may be the cause of waterlogging.
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 Causes of Waterlogging cont….
•Impervious top layer:
if the top layer of the land is impervious such as black
cotton soils, it obstructs the flow of water in the
downward direction.

•Seepage from canal, reservoir and adjoin land:

water seep from the bed and sides of unlined canal.
It adds to the groundwater reservoir and there is a
general rise in the water table, which may lead to
waterlogging.

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 Causes of Waterlogging cont….
•Defective methods of cultivation:
.construction of high levees (bunds),
.inadequate preparation of land,
.failure to smoothen the field after tillage,
.improper disposal of spoil earth,
.improper selection of crops
-ponding and impeding natural drainage
.Defective irrigation practices:
Waterlogging may also occur due to defective
irrigation, applying high depth of water and using
defective method of application of water like wild
flooding.
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 Effects of water-logging
• Reduction in growth of plants: aeration
• Difficulty in cultivation: slushy and puddle soils
• swampy land.
• Increase in salinity
• Increase in natural plants and flora: plants such as cat
tail, bull rush, grass etc. grow in marshy, waterlogged land
and there is a reduction in the crop yield.
• Reduction in growth of plants:
• Encourage weed Growth
• Water-logging also leads to salinity
• Increase in plant diseases
• Fall in soil temperature
• Increase in incidence of malaria
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