Soil salinity processes under drainwater reuse in the Nile Delta, Egypt
Abstract
The report presents the results from a micro-study, which monitored salt and water movement in a typical farmer's field on the Nubariya Scheme in the Western Nile Delta, which had been reusing saline drainwater for irrigation for over ten years. The main fieldwork from the project provided quantitative evidence that the reuse of agricultural drainage water (both directly and after blending with fresh Nile water) has led to increased salinity levels in the fields of the Nile Delta.
The report presents the results of analysis of salt leaching and diffusion processes occurring within the study area over a one-year period. It demonstrates how very saline drainwater can be successfully used for agricultural production provided appropriate management methods are adopted.
The report contains a useful summary of the methods available for predicting salinity accumulation:
- Rhoades and Merril Relation
- Ayers and Westcot Relation
- Rhoades Relation
- Hoffman and Van Genuchten Equation
- Computer models
The results of testing these different predictive procedures against the field observations are presented.
Citation
HR Wallingford, UK. 94 pp.
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