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Salt Outflows from New and Old Irrigated Lands¹

ABSTRACT

Three water application treatments with low salt water were applied to previously nonirrigated soil and to a similar soil which had been irrigated for 67 years. The total soluble salt content of these soils initially, and after one and two seasons of treatment, was measured to determine salt outflow. Residual soluble salts were essentially removed from the previously nonirrigated soil after 30 cm of water/m depth of soil had passed from the soil as leachate, regardless of the number of seasons required for that amount of leaching. The total quantity of residual salt removed from soil 5 m deep was 70 metric tons/ha, with about 38 metric tons/ha being leached out by the first 14 cm of leachate. After the residual salt was removed, the salt content of the newly irrigated soil was the same as that of the soil which had been irrigated for 67 years. Subsequent salt outflow from the soil was directly related to the quantity of water leaching through the soil, indicating that more minerals dissolved with more leaching. Soils irrigated for many years and then not irrigated for up to 10 years had no measurable reaccumulation of soluble salts during the period of nonirrigation. Results of these investigations provide a basis for estimating salt outflows from newly developed and old irrigated lands, and for assessing the impact of these salts on surface and groundwater supplies.

¹ Contribution from the Science and Education Administration, Federal Research, USDA; Univ. of Idaho College of Agric. Res. and Ext. Cent., Kimberly, cooperating.

² Supervisory Soil Scientist and Soil Scientist, respectively, Snake River Conservation Research Center, Kimberly, ID 83341.

Received for publication December 12, 1977. Accepted for publication April 17, 1978.