Abstract
Transpiration and evaporation rates from irrigated pastures can be adequately assessed by conventional methods and more recently, by the use of stable isotopes and . However, the salinity effects that transpiration and evaporation have on infiltrating irrigation waters and residual soil-waters have not been independently assessed in a flood irrigation setting. In this study, oxygen-18, deuterium and chloride concentrations of irrigation water, soil-water, and groundwater were monitored with soil-water content over time to independently assess the salinization effects of evaporation and transpiration. This study was carried out across four flood irrigation sites that overlie a heterogeneous loam-sand and limestone vadose zone. Results showed that minor evaporation losses were detected across most flood irrigation sites through the use of stable isotopes and . The associated increase in chloride concentration of irrigation water as a result of evaporation (minor fractionating water loss) was low ( to ) compared to the chloride increase as a result of transpiration ( to ) noted in shallow soil-water. Across all sites, the fractionating water loss detected in soil-water was minor ( from the source) with isotopic signatures reflecting partially evaporated irrigation waters. The high soil-water chloride concentrations, minor fractionating loss, and corresponding decrease in soil-water content suggest that transpiration is the dominant cause of water loss and therefore the largest contributor to salinity effects during flood irrigation. Salinity effects caused by transpiration (0.4 to ) were 3 to 50 times greater than the salinity effects caused by evaporation from irrigation and soil-waters (0.01 to ).
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 137 • Issue 12 • December 2011
Pages: 754 - 764
Copyright
© 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 14, 2010
Accepted: Mar 29, 2011
Published online: Mar 31, 2011
Published in print: Dec 1, 2011
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