# Soil salinity control

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Soil_salinity_control
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Soil_salinity_control.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_salinity_control
> Source revision: 1326443394
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Controlling the problem of soil salinity

"Salinity control" redirects here. For removing salt from water, see [Desalination](/source/Desalination).

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Yield of mustard ([colza](/source/Colza)) and soil salinity

**Soil salinity control** refers to controlling the process and progress of [soil salinity](/source/Soil_salinity) to prevent [soil degradation](/source/Soil_degradation) by [salination](/source/Salination) and [reclamation](/source/Land_reclamation) of already salty (saline) soils. Soil reclamation is also known as soil improvement, rehabilitation, [remediation](/source/Remediation_of_contaminated_sites_with_cement), recuperation, or amelioration.

The primary man-made cause of [salinization](/source/Soil_salinity) is [irrigation](/source/Irrigation). [River water](/source/River) or [groundwater](/source/Groundwater) used in irrigation contains salts, which remain in the soil after the water has [evaporated](/source/Evaporation).

The primary method of controlling soil salinity is to permit 10–20% of the [irrigation](/source/Irrigation) water to [leach](/source/Leaching_model) the soil, so that it will be drained and discharged through an appropriate [drainage system](/source/Drainage_system_(agriculture)). The salt concentration of the [drainage water](/source/Watertable_control) is normally 5 to 10 times higher than that of the irrigation water which meant that salt export will more closely match salt import and it will not accumulate.

## Problems with soil salinity

[Salty (saline) soils](/source/Soil_salinity) have high [salt](/source/Salt) content. The predominant salt is normally [sodium chloride](/source/Sodium_chloride) (NaCl, "table salt"). [Saline soils](/source/Saline_soils) are therefore also *sodic soils* but there may be sodic soils that are not saline, but [alkaline](/source/Alkaline_soils).

World Soil Salt Degradation

This damage is an average of 2,000 hectares of irrigated land in arid and semi-arid areas daily for more than 20 years across 75 countries (each week the world loses an area larger than Manhattan)...To feed the world's anticipated nine billion people by 2050, and with little new productive land available, it's a case of all lands needed on deck.—*principal author Manzoor Qadir, Assistant Director, Water and Human Development, at UN University's Canadian-based Institute for Water, Environment and Health*[1]

According to a study by [UN University](/source/United_Nations_University), about 62 million hectares (240 thousand square miles; 150 million acres), representing 20% of the world's irrigated lands are affected, up from 45 million ha (170 thousand sq mi; 110 million acres) in the early 1990s.[1] In the [Indo-Gangetic Plain](/source/Indo-Gangetic_Plain), home to over 10% of the [world's population](/source/World_population), crop yield losses for [wheat](/source/Wheat), [rice](/source/Rice), [sugarcane](/source/Sugarcane) and [cotton](/source/Cotton) grown on salt-affected lands could be 40%, 45%, 48%, and 63%, respectively.[1]

Salty soils are a common feature and an [environmental problem](/source/Environmental_impact_of_irrigation) in [irrigated lands](/source/Irrigated_land) in [arid](/source/Arid) and [semi-arid](/source/Semi-arid) regions, resulting in poor or little crop production.[2] The causes of salty soils are often associated with high [water tables](/source/Water_table), which are caused by a lack of natural [subsurface drainage](/source/Subsurface_drainage) to the underground. Poor subsurface drainage may be caused by insufficient transport capacity of the [aquifer](/source/Aquifer) or because water cannot exit the aquifer, for instance, if the aquifer is situated in a [topographical](/source/Topographical) depression.

Worldwide, the major factor in the development of saline soils is a lack of [precipitation](/source/Precipitation). Most naturally saline soils are found in [(semi) arid regions](/source/Arid) and [climates](/source/Semi_arid) of the earth.

### Primary cause

Irrigated saline land with poor crop stand

Man-made salinization is primarily caused by salt found in irrigation water. All irrigation water derived from rivers or groundwater, regardless of water purity, contains salts that remain behind in the soil after the water has evaporated.

For example, assuming irrigation water with a low salt concentration of 0.3 g/L (equal to 0.3 kg/m3 corresponding to an electric conductivity of about 0.5 FdS/m) and a modest annual supply of irrigation water of 10,000 m3/ha (almost 3 mm/day) brings 3,000 kg salt/ha each year. With the absence of sufficient natural drainage (as in waterlogged soils), and proper leaching and [drainage](/source/Drainage) program to remove salts, this would lead to high soil salinity and reduced [crop yields](/source/Crop_yield) in the long run.

Much of the water used in irrigation has a higher salt content than 0.3 g/L, compounded by irrigation projects using a far greater annual supply of water. [Sugar cane](/source/Sugar_cane), for example, needs about 20,000 m3/ha of water per year. As a result, irrigated areas often receive more than 3,000 kg/ha of salt per year, with some receiving as much as 10,000 kg/ha/year.

### Secondary cause

The secondary cause of salinization is [waterlogging](/source/Waterlogging_(agriculture)) in irrigated land. Irrigation causes changes to the natural [water balance](/source/Hydrology_(agriculture)) of irrigated lands. Large quantities of water in irrigation projects are not consumed by plants and must go somewhere. In irrigation projects, it is impossible to achieve 100% irrigation efficiency where all the irrigation water is consumed by the plants. The maximum attainable irrigation efficiency is about 70%, but usually, it is less than 60%. This means that minimum 30%, but usually more than 40% of the irrigation water is not evaporated and it must go somewhere.

Most of the water lost this way is stored underground which can change the original [hydrology](/source/Geohydrology) of [local aquifers](/source/Aquifer) considerably. Many aquifers cannot absorb and transport these quantities of water, and so the [water table](/source/Water_table) rises leading to waterlogging.

Waterlogging causes three problems:

- The shallow water table and lack of [oxygenation](/source/Oxygenation_(environmental)) of the [root zone](/source/Root) reduces the yield of most crops.

- It leads to an accumulation of salts brought in with the irrigation water as their removal through the aquifer is blocked.

- With the upward [seepage](/source/Seepage) of [groundwater](/source/Groundwater), more salts are brought into the soil and the salination is aggravated.

Aquifer conditions in irrigated land and the groundwater flow have an important role in soil salinization,[3] as illustrated here:

	- Illustration of the influence of aquifer conditions on soil salinization in irrigated land

		- Soil salinization in the lower parts of undulating land with a good aquifer

		- Soil salinization in the unirrigated parts of flat land with a good aquifer

		- Soil salinization in irrigated flat land without an aquifer

		- Soil salinization in a coastal delta from irrigation higher up

### Salt affected area

Normally, the salinization of [agricultural land](/source/Agricultural_land) affects a considerable area of 20% to 30% in irrigation projects. When the agriculture in such a fraction of the land is abandoned, a new salt and [water balance](/source/Hydrology_(agriculture)) is attained, a new equilibrium is reached and the situation becomes stable.

In [India](/source/India) alone, thousands of square kilometers have been severely salinized. [China](/source/China) and [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan) do not lag far behind (perhaps China has even more salt affected land than India). A regional distribution of the 3,230,000 km2 of saline land worldwide is shown in the following table derived from the [FAO](/source/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization)/[UNESCO](/source/UNESCO) Soil Map of the World.[4]

Region Area (106ha) Australia 84.7 Africa 69.5 Latin America 59.4 Near and Middle East 53.1 Europe 20.7 Asia and Far East 19.5 Northern America 16.0

Spatial variation of soil salinity

### Spatial variation

Although the principles of the processes of salinization are fairly easy to understand, it is more difficult to explain why certain parts of the land suffer from the problems and other parts do not, or to [predict](/source/Predict) accurately which part of the land will fall victim. The main reason for this is the variation of natural conditions in time and space, the usually uneven distribution of the irrigation water, and the seasonal or yearly changes of [agricultural practices](/source/Agricultural_practices). Only in lands with undulating [topography](/source/Topography) is the prediction simple: the depressional areas will degrade the most.

The preparation of salt and water balances[3] for distinguishable sub-areas in the [irrigation](/source/Irrigation) project, or the use of agro-hydro-salinity models,[5] can be helpful in explaining or predicting the extent and severity of the problems.

## Diagnosis

The maize crop (corn) in Egypt has a salt tolerance of ECe=5.5 dS/m beyond which the yield declines.[6]

The rice crop in Egypt has a similar salt tolerance as maize.[7]

### Measurement

Soil salinity is measured as the salt [concentration](/source/Concentration) of the soil [solution](/source/Solution_(chemistry)) in tems of g/L or [electric conductivity](/source/Electric_conductivity) (EC) in [dS/m](/source/Siemens_(unit)). The relation between these two units is about 5/3: y g/L => 5y/3 dS/m. [Seawater](/source/Seawater) may have a salt concentration of 30 g/L (3%) and an EC of 50 dS/m.

The standard for the determination of soil salinity is from an extract of a saturated paste of the soil, and the EC is then written as ECe. The extract is obtained by [centrifugation](/source/Centrifugation). The salinity can more easily be measured, without centrifugation, in a 2:1 or 5:1 water:soil mixture (in terms of g water per g dry soil) than from a saturated paste. The relation between ECe and EC2:1 is about 4, hence: ECe = 4EC1:2.[8]

### Classification

Soils are considered saline when the ECe > 4.[9] When 4 < ECe < 8, the soil is called slightly saline, when 8 < ECe < 16 it is called (moderately) saline, and when ECe > 16 severely saline.

### Crop tolerance

Sensitive crops lose their vigor already in slightly saline soils; most crops are negatively affected by (moderately) saline soils, and only salinity resistant crops thrive in severely saline soils. The [University of Wyoming](/source/University_of_Wyoming)[10] and the [Government of Alberta](/source/Government_of_Alberta)[11] report data on the [salt tolerance](/source/Halotolerance) of plants.

## Principles of salinity control

[Drainage](/source/Drainage_system_(agriculture)) is the primary method of controlling soil salinity. The system should permit a small fraction of the irrigation water (about 10 to 20 percent, the drainage or leaching fraction) to be drained and discharged out of the irrigation project.[12]

In irrigated areas where salinity is stable, the salt concentration of the drainage water is normally 5 to 10 times higher than that of the irrigation water. Salt export matches salt import and salt will not accumulate.

When reclaiming already salinized soils, the salt concentration of the drainage water will initially be much higher than that of the irrigation water (for example 50 times higher). Salt export will greatly exceed salt import, so that with the same drainage fraction a rapid desalinization occurs. After one or two years, the soil salinity is decreased so much, that the salinity of the drainage water has come down to a normal value and a new, favorable, equilibrium is reached.

In regions with pronounced [dry](/source/Dry_season) and [wet seasons](/source/Wet_season), the drainage system may be operated in the wet season only, and closed during the dry season. This practice of checked or controlled drainage saves irrigation water.

The discharge of salty drainage water may pose environmental problems to downstream areas. The environmental hazards must be considered very carefully and, if necessary mitigating measures must be taken. If possible, the drainage must be limited to wet seasons only, when the salty effluent inflicts the least harm.

## Drainage systems

Parameters of a horizontal drainage system

Parameters of a vertical drainage system

Land drainage for soil salinity control is usually by horizontal drainage system (figure left), but vertical systems (figure right) are also employed.

The drainage system designed to evacuate salty water also lowers the [water table](/source/Water_table). To reduce the cost of the system, the lowering must be reduced to a minimum. The highest permissible level of the water table (or the shallowest permissible depth) depends on the irrigation and agricultural practices and kind of crops.

In many cases a seasonal average water table depth of 0.6 to 0.8 m is deep enough. This means that the water table may occasionally be less than 0.6 m (say 0.2 m just after an irrigation or a rain storm). This automatically implies that, in other occasions, the water table will be deeper than 0.8 m (say 1.2 m). The fluctuation of the water table helps in the breathing function of the soil while the expulsion of [carbon dioxide](/source/Carbon_dioxide) (CO2) produced by the [plant](/source/Plant) [roots](/source/Root) and the inhalation of fresh [oxygen](/source/Oxygen) (O2) is promoted.

The establishing of a not-too-deep water table offers the additional advantage that excessive field irrigation is discouraged, as the crop yield would be negatively affected by the resulting elevated water table, and irrigation water may be saved.

The statements made above on the optimum depth of the water table are very general, because in some instances the required water table may be still shallower than indicated (for example in rice paddies), while in other instances it must be considerably deeper (for example in some [orchards](/source/Orchard)). The establishment of the optimum depth of the water table is in the realm of [agricultural drainage criteria](/source/Watertable_control).[13]

## Soil leaching

Water balance factors in the soil

The [vadose zone](/source/Vadose_zone) of the [soil](/source/Soil) below the soil surface and the [water table](/source/Watertable) is subject to four main [hydrological](/source/Hydrology) inflow and outflow factors:[3]

- [Infiltration](/source/Infiltration_(hydrology)) of rain and [irrigation](/source/Irrigation) water (Irr) into the soil through the soil surface (Inf) :

- Inf = Rain + Irr

- [Evaporation](/source/Evaporation) of soil water through plants and directly into the air through the soil surface (Evap)

- [Percolation](/source/Percolation) of water from the unsaturated zone soil into the groundwater through the watertable (Perc)

- [Capillary rise](/source/Capillary_rise) of [groundwater](/source/Groundwater) moving by capillary suction forces into the unsaturated zone (Cap)

In [steady state](/source/Steady_state) (i.e. the amount of water stored in the unsaturated zone does not change in the long run) the [water balance](/source/Hydrology_(agriculture)) of the unsaturated zone reads: Inflow = Outflow, thus:

- Inf + Cap = Evap + Perc or:

- Irr + Rain + Cap = Evap + Perc

and the *salt balance* is

- Irr.Ci + Cap.Cc = Evap.Fc.Ce + Perc.Cp + Ss

where Ci is the salt [concentration](/source/Concentration) of the irrigation water, Cc is the salt concentration of the capillary rise, equal to the salt concentration of the upper part of the groundwater body, Fc is the fraction of the total evaporation transpired by plants, Ce is the salt concentration of the water taken up by the plant roots, Cp is the salt concentration of the [percolation](/source/Percolation) water, and Ss is the increase of salt storage in the unsaturated soil. This assumes that the [rainfall](/source/Rainfall) contains no salts. Only along the coast this may not be true. Further it is assumed that no [runoff](/source/Surface_runoff) or surface drainage occurs. The amount of removed by plants (Evap.Fc.Ce) is usually negligibly small: Evap.Fc.Ce = 0

Leaching curves, calibrating leaching efficiency

The salt concentration Cp can be taken as a part of the salt concentration of the soil in the unsaturated zone (Cu) giving: Cp = Le.Cu, where Le is the [leaching efficiency](/source/Leaching_model). The leaching efficiency is often in the order of 0.7 to 0.8,[14] but in poorly [structured](/source/Soil_structure), heavy [clay](/source/Clay) soils it may be less. In the Leziria Grande [polder](/source/Polder) in the delta of the [Tagus river](/source/Tagus) in [Portugal](/source/Portugal) it was found that the leaching efficiency was only 0.15.[15] Assuming that one wishes to avoid the soil salinity to increase and maintain the soil salinity Cu at a desired level Cd we have: Ss = 0, Cu = Cd and Cp = Le.Cd. Hence the salt balance can be simplified to:

- Perc.Le.Cd = Irr.Ci + Cap.Cc

Setting the amount percolation water required to fulfill this salt balance equal to Lr (the *leaching requirement*) it is found that:

- Lr = (Irr.Ci + Cap.Cc) / Le.Cd .

Substituting herein Irr = Evap + Perc − Rain − Cap and re-arranging gives :

- Lr = [ (Evap−Rain).Ci + Cap(Cc−Ci) ] / (Le.Cd − Ci)[12]

With this the irrigation and drainage requirements for salinity control can be computed too. In irrigation projects in [(semi)arid zones](/source/Arid) and [climates](/source/Semi_arid) it is important to check the leaching requirement, whereby the *field irrigation efficiency* (indicating the fraction of irrigation water percolating to the underground) is to be taken into account. The desired soil salinity level Cd depends on the crop tolerance to salt. The University of Wyoming,[10] US, and the Government of Alberta,[11] Canada, report crop tolerance data.

## Strip cropping: an alternative

Hydrological principles of *strip cropping* to control the depth of the water table and the soil salinity

In irrigated lands with scarce water resources suffering from drainage (high water table) and soil salinity problems, [strip cropping](/source/Strip_cropping) is sometimes practiced with strips of land where every other strip is irrigated while the strips in between are left permanently [fallow](/source/Fallow).[16]

Owing to the water application in the irrigated strips they have a higher [water table](/source/Watertable) which induces [flow of groundwater](/source/Groundwater) to the unirrigated strips. This flow functions as subsurface drainage for the irrigated strips, whereby the water table is maintained at a not-too-shallow depth, [leaching](/source/Leaching_(agriculture)) of the soil is possible, and the soil salinity can be controlled at an acceptably low level.

In the unirrigated (sacrificial) strips the soil is dry and the groundwater comes up by [capillary rise](/source/Capillary_rise) and evaporates leaving the salts behind, so that here the soil salinizes. Nevertheless, they can have some use for [livestock](/source/Livestock), sowing salinity resistant [grasses](/source/Grasses) or [weeds](/source/Weed). Moreover, useful salt resistant trees can be planted like [Casuarina](/source/Casuarina), [Eucalyptus](/source/Eucalyptus), or [Atriplex](/source/Atriplex), keeping in mind that the trees have deep rooting systems and the salinity of the wet [subsoil](/source/Subsoil) is less than of the [topsoil](/source/Topsoil). In these ways [wind erosion](/source/Wind_erosion) can be controlled. The unirrigated strips can also be used for [salt](/source/Salt) harvesting.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Soil salinity models

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (October 2007)

SaltMod components

The majority of the computer models available for water and solute transport in the soil (e.g. SWAP,[17] DrainMod-S,[18] UnSatChem,[19] and [Hydrus](/source/Hydrus_(software))[20]) are based on Richard's [differential equation](/source/Differential_equation) for the movement of water in unsaturated soil in combination with Fick's differential [convection–diffusion equation](/source/Convection%E2%80%93diffusion_equation) for [advection](/source/Advection) and [dispersion](/source/Fick's_laws_of_diffusion) of salts.

The models require the input of soil characteristics like the relations between variable unsaturated [soil moisture](/source/Soil_moisture) content, water tension, [water retention curve](/source/Water_retention_curve), unsaturated [hydraulic conductivity](/source/Hydraulic_conductivity), [dispersity](/source/Dispersity), and [diffusivity](/source/Mass_diffusivity). These relations vary greatly from place to place and time to time and are not easy to measure. Further, the models are complicated to [calibrate](/source/Calibration) under farmer's field conditions because the soil salinity here is spatially very variable. The models use short time steps and need at least a daily, if not hourly, database of [hydrological](/source/Hydrology) phenomena. Altogether, this makes model application to a fairly large [project](/source/Project) the job of a team of specialists with ample facilities.

Simpler models, like [SaltMod](/source/SaltMod),[5] based on monthly or seasonal water and soil balances and an empirical capillary rise function, are also available. They are useful for long-term salinity predictions in relation to [irrigation](/source/Irrigation) and [drainage](/source/Drainage) practices.

LeachMod,[21][22] Using the SaltMod principles helps in analyzing leaching experiments in which the soil salinity was monitored in various root zone layers while the model will optimize the value of the leaching efficiency of each layer so that a fit is obtained of observed with simulated soil salinity values.

Spatial variations owing to variations in [topography](/source/Topography) can be simulated and predicted using salinity cum [groundwater models](/source/Groundwater_model), like [SahysMod](/source/SahysMod).

## See also

- [Alkali soils](/source/Alkali_soils) – Soil type with pH > 8.5Pages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets

- [Biosalinity](/source/Biosalinity) – Use of salty water for irrigation

- [Crop tolerance to seawater](/source/Crop_tolerance_to_seawater) – Quality in crops

- [Desalination](/source/Desalination) – Removal of salts from water

- [Halophyte](/source/Halophyte) – Salt-tolerant plant

- [Halotolerance](/source/Halotolerance) – Adaptation of living organisms to conditions of high salinity

- [Salt tolerance of crops](/source/Salt_tolerance_of_crops)

- [Sodium in biology](/source/Sodium_in_biology) – Use of sodium by organisms

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-physorg102014_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-physorg102014_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-physorg102014_1-2) ["World losing 2,000 hectares of farm soil daily to salt damage"](http://phys.org/news/2014-10-world-hectares-farm-soil-daily.html).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** I.P. Abrol, J.S.P Yadav, and F. Massoud 1988. Salt affected soils and their management, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Soils Bulletin 39.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Balances_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Balances_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Balances_3-2) ILRI, 2003. *Drainage for Agriculture: Drainage and hydrology/salinity - water and salt balances*. Lecture notes International Course on Land Drainage, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands. Download from page : [\[1\]](http://www.waterlog.info/faqs.htm), or directly as PDF : [\[2\]](http://www.waterlog.info/pdf/balances.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** R. Brinkman, 1980. Saline and sodic soils. In: Land reclamation and water management, p. 62-68. International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Snellen_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Snellen_5-1) [SaltMod: *a tool for interweaving of irrigation and drainage for salinity control*](http://www.waterlog.info/pdf/toolsalt.pdf). In: W.B.Snellen (ed.), Towards integration of irrigation, and drainage management. ILRI Special report, p. 41-43. International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** H.J. Nijland and S. El Guindy, *Crop yields, watertable depth and soil salinity in the Nile Delta, Egypt*. In: Annual report 1983. International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** On line collection of salt tolerance data of agricultural crops from measurements in farmers' fields [\[3\]](https://www.waterlog.info/croptol.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ILRI, 2003, *This paper discusses soil salinity*. Lecture notes, International Course on Land Drainage International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands. On line: [\[4\]](http://www.waterlog.info/pdf/salinity.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** L.A.Richards (Ed.), 1954. Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. USDA Agricultural Handbook 60. [On internet](https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/riverside-ca/agricultural-water-efficiency-and-salinity-research-unit/docs/publications/handbook-no-60/)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Alan_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Alan_10-1) Alan D. Blaylock, 1994, *Soil Salinity and Salt tolerance of Horticultural and Landscape Plants. [\[5\]](http://www.wyomingextension.org/agpubs/pubs/WY988.PDF)*

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Albert_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Albert_11-1) Government of Alberta, [*Salt tolerance of Plants*](http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex3303)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Hoorn_12-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Hoorn_12-1) J.W. van Hoorn and J.G. van Alphen (2006), Salinity control. In: H.P. Ritzema (Ed.), Drainage Principles and Applications, p. 533-600, Publication 16, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [90-70754-33-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/90-70754-33-9).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** *Agricultural Drainage Criteria*, Chapter 17 in: H.P.Ritzema (2006), Drainage Principles and Applications, Publication 16, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [90-70754-33-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/90-70754-33-9). On line : [\[6\]](http://www.waterlog.info/pdf/chap17.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** R.J.Oosterbaan and M.A.Senna, 1990. Using SaltMod to predict drainage and salinity control in the Nile delta. In: Annual Report 1989, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands, p. 63-74. See *Case Study Egypt* in the SaltMod manual : [\[7\]](http://www.waterlog.info/pdf/saltmod.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** E.A. Vanegas Chacon, 1990. Using SaltMod to predict desalinization in the Leziria Grande Polder, Portugal. Thesis. Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ILRI, 2000. *Irrigation, groundwater, drainage and soil salinity control in the alluvial fan of Garmsar*. Consultancy assignment to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen, The Netherlands. Online: [\[8\]](http://www.waterlog.info/pdf/garmsar.pdf)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [SWAP model](http://www.swap.alterra.nl/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** [DrainMod-S model](http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/soil_water/drainmod/models.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20081025223837/http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/soil_water/drainmod/models.html) 2008-10-25 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** [UnSatChem model](https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/riverside-ca/agricultural-water-efficiency-and-salinity-research-unit/docs/model/unsatchem-model/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [Hydrus model](http://www.pc-progress.com/en/default.aspx?hydrus-3d)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** [LeachMod](http://www.waterlog.info/leachmod.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** *Reclamation of a Coastal Saline Vertisol by Irrigated Rice Cropping, Interpretation of the data with a Salt Leaching Model*. In: International Journal of Environmental Science, April 2019. On line: [\[9\]](https://www.iaras.org/iaras/filedownloads/ijes/2019/008-0006(2019).pdf)

## External links

- [Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations](https://www.fao.org/3/R4082E/r4082e08.htm) on soil salinity

- [US Salinity Laboratory](https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/riverside-ca/agricultural-water-efficiency-and-salinity-research-unit/) at Riverside, California

v t e Agricultural water management Irrigation Surface irrigation Drip irrigation Tidal irrigation Irrigation statistics Irrigation management Irrigation environmental impacts Subsurface drainage Ditch Tile drainage Drainage equation Drainage system (agriculture) Watertable control Drainage research Drainage by wells Surface water/runoff Contour trenching Hydrological model Hydrological transport model Runoff model (reservoir) Groundwater Groundwater flow Groundwater energy balance Groundwater model Hydraulic conductivity Watertable Problem soils Acid sulphate soils Alkali soils Saline soils Agro-hydro-salinity group Hydrology (agriculture) Soil salinity control Leaching model (soil) SaltMod integrated model SahysMod polygonal model: Saltmod coupled to a groundwater model Related topics Sand dam

v t e Soil science History Index Main fields Pedology Edaphology Soil biology Soil microbiology Soil zoology Soil ecology Soil physics Soil mechanics Soil chemistry Environmental soil science Agricultural soil science Soil topics Soil Pedosphere Soil morphology Pedodiversity Soil formation Soil erosion Soil contamination Soil retrogression and degradation Soil compaction Soil compaction (agriculture) Soil sealing Soil salinity Alkali soil Soil pH Soil acidification Soil health Soil life Soil biodiversity Soil quality Soil value Soil fertility Soil resilience Soil color Soil texture Soil structure Pore space in soil Pore water pressure Soil crust Soil horizon Soil biomantle Soil carbon Soil gas Soil respiration Soil organic matter Soil moisture Soil water (retention) Applications Soil conservation Soil management Soil guideline value Soil survey Soil test Soil governance Soil value Soil salinity control Erosion control Agroecology Liming (soil) Related fields Geology Geochemistry Petrology Geomorphology Geotechnical engineering Hydrology Hydrogeology Biogeography Earth materials Archaeology Agricultural science Agrology Societies, Initiatives Australian Society of Soil Science Incorporated Canadian Society of Soil Science Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (India) German Soil Science Society Indian Institute of Soil Science International Union of Soil Sciences International Year of Soil National Society of Consulting Soil Scientists (US) OPAL Soil Centre (UK) Soil Science Society of Poland Soil and Water Conservation Society (US) Soil Science Society of America World Congress of Soil Science Scientific journals Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica B Journal of Soil and Water Conservation Plant and Soil Pochvovedenie Soil Research Soil Science Society of America Journal See also Land use Land conversion Land management Vegetation Infiltration (hydrology) Groundwater Crust (geology) Impervious surface/Surface runoff Petrichor Soil type v t e Soil classification World Reference Base for Soil Resources (1998–) Acrisols Alisols Andosols Anthrosols Arenosols Calcisols Cambisols Chernozem Cryosols Durisols Ferralsols Fluvisols Gleysols Gypsisols Histosol Kastanozems Leptosols Lixisols Luvisols Nitisols Phaeozems Planosols Plinthosols Podzols Regosols Retisols Solonchaks Solonetz Stagnosol Technosols Umbrisols Vertisols USDA soil taxonomy Alfisols Andisols Aridisols Entisols Gelisols Histosols Inceptisols Mollisols Oxisols Spodosols Ultisols Vertisols Other systems FAO soil classification (1974–1998) Unified Soil Classification System AASHTO Soil Classification System Référentiel pédologique (French classification system) Canadian system of soil classification Australian Soil Classification Polish Soil Classification 1938 USDA soil taxonomy List of U.S. state soils List of vineyard soil types PG-3 (Spanish classification system) Non-systematic soil types Sand Silt Clay Loam Topsoil Subsoil Soil crust Claypan Hardpan Gypcrust Caliche Parent material Pedosphere Laimosphere Rhizosphere Bulk soil Alkali soil Bay mud Blue goo Brickearth Brown earth Calcareous grassland Dark earth Dry quicksand Duplex soil Eluvium Expansive clay Fill dirt Fuller's earth Hydrophobic soil Loess Mud Muskeg Paleosol Peat Prime farmland Quicksand Serpentine soil Spodic soil Stagnogley Subaqueous soil Takir Terra preta Terra rossa Tropical peat Yedoma Soil on bodies other than Earth Lunar regolith Martian regolith Types of soil Wikipedia:WikiProject Soil Category soil Category soil science List of soil scientists

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Soil salinity control](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_salinity_control) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_salinity_control?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
