Border Irrigation Field Experiment. I: Water Balance
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 126, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper presents the results from a detailed field experiment of water movement on a border-irrigated bay in northern Victoria, Australia, an area characterized by shallow ground-water tables and salinization problems. The objective of the study was to quantify the impact of changes in irrigation management on salt and water movement within and from the bay and on recharge to the region's shallow ground-water table. Results showed that the evapotranspiration volume almost wholly explained the soil moisture changes between irrigation events and that deep drainage was negligible. Infiltration was mainly confined to the advanced stages of irrigation, with the soil rapidly becoming saturated across the bay, due to the presence of soil cracks. Such findings suggest that more efficient management of border irrigation supply to the bay will not lead to the lowering of the shallow ground-water table—conclusions that have important implications for irrigation management.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 126 • Issue 2 • March 2000
Pages: 85 - 91
History
Received: Feb 5, 1999
Published online: Mar 1, 2000
Published in print: Mar 2000
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