Project Number: 5302-13000-009-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Feb 27, 2002
End Date: Feb 26, 2007

Objective:
Develop improved water and nutrient management practices and systems for irrigated crops to promote efficient resource use and water quality protection. Develop agronomic systems to bioremediate soils and shallow groundwater impacted by high concentrations of trace elements. Develop and evaluate improved irrigation, drainage, and vegetation management methods to reduce water and pollutant discharge from irrigated agriculture to preserve quality of agricultural soils and shallow and deep ground water.

Approach:
Use weighing lysimeters and precision water and nutrient application through micro irrigation systems to assess water, nutrient, crop yield and quality, and deep percolation relationships for annual crops and perennial horticultural crops. Determine shallow ground water contribution to water requirements of currently used crops and new species using large weighing lysimeters. Use field studies to develop sustainable cropping systems in areas with restricted drainage discharge, and to determine the impact of management practices on soil salinity, ground water and drainwater quality and quantity, and crop yield. Determine, through greenhouse and field studies, the ability of crop species to tolerate and acumulate selenium, boron, and other constituents found in arid saline soils and shallow ground water. Measure irrigation induced furrow erosion and develop models to estimate the degree and extent of erosion damages. Conduct soil column and field studies to evaluate the impact of management practices, water quality and additives on infiltration in Central Valley soils.

Project Team

Ayars, James - Jim Banuelos, Gary Trout, Thomas - Tom

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003   FY 2002

Related National Programs

Water Quality & Management (201)   Soil Resource Management (202)

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