Achieving a salt balance—Should it be a management objective?

Thayalakumaran, Thabo; Bethune, Matthew; McMahon, TA

doi:10.1016/j.agwat.2007.05.004

Cited by 40 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Advanced soil water flow simulation models have been used to solve relatively complex problems in groundwater, irrigation, and drainage management (Schoups et al 2006;Bastiaanssen et al 2007); however, Thayalakumaran et al (2007) concluded that these models require many data and their application is complicated. They are not applicable at larger spatial scales or for long-term forecasting of groundwater levels and salinity.…”

Section: Simulation Modelingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Computer-based models for managing the water-resource problems of irrigated agriculture

Singh

2015

Hydrogeol J

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Irrigation is essential for achieving food security to the burgeoning global population but unplanned and injudicious expansion of irrigated areas causes waterlogging and salinization problems. Under this backdrop, groundwater resources management is a critical issue for fulfilling the increasing water demand for agricultural, industrial, and domestic uses. Various simulation and optimization approaches were used to solve the groundwater management problems. This paper presents a review of the individual and combined applications of simulation and optimization modeling for the management of groundwater-resource problems associated with irrigated agriculture. The study revealed that the combined use of simulation-optimization modeling is very suitable for achieving an optimal solution for groundwater-resource problems, even with a large number of variables. Independent model tools were used to solve the problems of uncertainty analysis and parameter estimation in groundwater modelling studies. Artificial neural networks were used to minimize the problem of computational complexity. The incorporation of socioeconomic aspects into the groundwater management modeling would be an important development in future studies.

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Section: Simulation Modelingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Computer-based models for managing the water-resource problems of irrigated agriculture

Singh

2015

Hydrogeol J

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“…This concept reveals that positive residual alkalinity implies an increasing sodium hazard and, in some cases, soil alkalinization. More recently, improved understanding of the fundamental soil hydrological and geochemical processes and major advances in modeling soil water flows have contributed to (1) solving relatively complex problems in irrigation and drainage management (Schoups et al, 2006;Bastiaanssen et al, 2007), and (2) estimating a salt balance to assess trends in salinity levels in the root zone and in groundwater at different scales (Thayalakumaran et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity patterns in irrigation systems, a threat to be demystified, a constraint to be managed: Field evidence from Algeria and Tunisia

Bouarfa

Marlet

Douaoui

et al. 2009

Irrigation and Drainage

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Salinity problems induced by irrigation are often presented in the literature as a threat that can only be managed at the irrigation scheme scale by installing subsurface drainage. On the other hand, salinity is a constraint that has often been successfully managed locally by farmers adapting their practices. However, the continuing expansion of irrigation with related water scarcity problems plus the increasing use of groundwater of marginal quality has resulted in a new challenge that is difficult to handle at the farm level only. To assess the dynamics of soil salinity and water quality together with farmers' salinity management practices, we adapted a common approach to analyze two contrasted salinity patterns: a traditional salinity pattern in an oasis (Fatnassa, Tunisia), and a recent sodicity pattern in a large irrigation scheme (Lower Chelif, Algeria). This approach which combines surveys on farmers' perceptions and practices and salinity measurements and geochemical analysis paves the way for more integrated management of salinity problems related to water scarcity. Copyright # 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. un processus de sodisation (plaine du Bas-Chelif, Algérie). L'utilisation de cette approche qui combine des enquêtes sur les perceptions et les pratiques des agriculteurs, des mesures de salinité et des analyzes géochimiques ouvre des perspectives pour une vision et une gestion plus intégrée des problèmes de salinité liés à la pénurie d'eau.

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“…Generally, a favourable salt balance (mass out ≥ mass in) is considered necessary for sustainable agriculture. 36 The salt balance may be represented by 37 :…”

Section: Catchment Salt Balancementioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying the catchment salt balance: An important component of salinity assessments

Bugan¹,

Jovanovic²,

Clercq³

2015

S. Afr. J. Sci.

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Soil and stream salinisation is a major environmental problem because it reduces the productivity of landscapes and degrades water quality. The Berg River (South Africa) has been exhibiting a trend of increasing salinity levels, which has primarily been attributed to the manifestation of dryland salinity. Dryland salinity occurs as a result of changes in land use (indigenous vegetation to agriculture and/or pasture), which cause a change in the water and salt balance of the landscape, consequently mobilising stored salts. The quantification of salinity fluxes at the catchment scale is an initial step and integral part of developing dryland salinity mitigation measures. The objective of this study was to quantify the salinity fluxes in the Sandspruit catchment, a tributary catchment of the Berg River. This included the quantification of salt storage, salt input (rainfall) and salt output (in run-off). The results of the catchment salt balance computations indicate that the Sandspruit catchment is exporting salts, i.e. salt output exceeds salt input, which may have serious implications for downstream water users. Interpolated regolith salt storage generally exhibited increasing storage with decreasing ground elevation. A salinity hotspot was identified in the lower reaches of the catchment. It is envisaged that the data presented in this study may be used to classify the land according to the levels of salinity present; inform land management decisions; and provide a guide and framework for the prioritisation of areas for intervention and the choice and implementation of salinity management options. The data which were generated may also be used to calibrate hydrosalinity models.

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Achieving a salt balance—Should it be a management objective?

Cited by 40 publications

References 34 publications

Review: Computer-based models for managing the water-resource problems of irrigated agriculture

Review: Computer-based models for managing the water-resource problems of irrigated agriculture

Salinity patterns in irrigation systems, a threat to be demystified, a constraint to be managed: Field evidence from Algeria and Tunisia

Quantifying the catchment salt balance: An important component of salinity assessments

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