Irrigation Water Quality
Irrigation Water Quality
for
Quality of Irrigation Water
concentration
irrigation use.
16
and compositionof dissolved constituents in
Quality of water is an importantconsideration
a water determine i
in
any appraisal of ality
quality
or alkali conditions in an irigated area. All irigation waters contain some salinity
concentration and nature of salts vary. The quality of irrigation water dependsprim.the t but
Agricultural crops receive moisture for their growth and development mainly from
two
sources: ()rain wate, and (i) irigation water.
Rain water is
practically free from mineral matters, although it contains dissolved gases
(N, Ar, O.CO2 and NH3) obtained from the atmosphere.
Irigation water consists of (a) surface water and (6) ground water.
24 c3-S4
C4-S4
C1-83
20
c2-63
C3-83
C1-$2
2-
c2-s2 C4-$3
10
C3-$2
C4-52
C1-S1
4
c2-S1
c3-S1
C4-S1
10 25 225
CONDUCTIVITY(mili Siemens meter -1
CLASS
HIGH
LOW MEDIUM VERY HIGH
SALINITY HAZARD
Fig 16 lower
of waters for irrigation. The best waters are toward the
One of several classifications
(Source: modified from LA.
etcorner;,the poorest waters are toward
and Improvement
the upper
of Saline
right.
(x) Lithium.
of all
applicability
these criteria is very
work at all sites
anr
been
complex and requires carefiul under al
in the suitability of any
assessing irrigation water for a evalua
particular soil.
The modified classification ofwaters proposed
irrigation by U.S. Salinity Lahoe.
1954, (after earlier
classification given by Wilcox, 1948) based
and SAR values. The four salinity and four sodium upon the oratory
conductivity elec
hazard classes
Fig. 15.1.
Now
various criteria for the evaluation of
irrigation water with
crop growth are being discussed permissible limits for
below:
)Salinity hazard or total soluble salt
salts in
concentration. The concentration
irrigation water can be classified in terms of soluble
of electrical
as +mSm (millisiemensper meter) conductivity(EC) and expressed
+
0.10= mSm'). formally as micromhos +
cm at 25°C (micromhos x
Water class EC Saltconcentration
Remarks
(mSm) (g)
Low salinity 0-25
0.16 Can be used safely
Medium salinity 25-75
0.16-0.50 Can be used with moderate
High leaching
salinity 75-225 0.50-1.50 Can not be used for irrigation
Very high salinity 225-500 1.50-30
purposes
where all
quantities being expressed in ppm and all values
of magnesium being reckoned as
caicium.
oron concentration.
Dut the
It is evident that boron is essential for the normal growth of
Boron concentrationppm)
CI
Chloride (CI) concentration
(mei)co? +HCO3 +SO +CI+NO
Chloride concentration (mel) Water quality
4 Excellent water
Nax 100
Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP)
Ca+Mg +Na
where all soluble catíons are expressed in
mel
Irigation waters having SSP value of 60 and above are considered as hamniul.
Lithium. Lithium
is
animportant trace element which may be found in most o
and imigated soils. It has been found that small concentrations (0.05-
aline ground-waters in irig
rigation water produced toxic effects on the growth of citrus crops.
m) m)
of lithium
that saline soils of varying degrees found in India contain lithium
0.1
P been reported
also
has
hi,2.5 ppm. Fortunately the germination of majority of crops including rice, wheat, barley
pto with this level of lithium content in soils.
are not affected
etc for the of water considering various criteria is
quality irrigation
owe guidelines
However.
in Table 16.2.
presented
No Moderate Severe
problem
Miscellaneous
5-30 >30
NO-N or NH-N (meq I)
< >8.5
HCOg (meq I) as damaged by overhead sprinkler
1.5 1.5-8.5
are in
Based on the assumptions that the soils are sandy loam toclay loams, have good drainage,
and
arid to semi-arid climates, irrigation
is
sprinkler
or surface, root depths are normal for deep soil,
the
guidelines are only approximate
Source: Modified from R.S. Ayres and D.W. Westcot, Water Quality for Agriculture, Irrigation an
1976.
Drainage Paper 29, FAO, Rome,
ORY
water can also be SOIL.
includes
Quality of imigation
both salinity and alkalinity classes
assessed by calculating
of irrigation water
the
Dn
and ale value. 8CVN
of
soils.
D value can be calculated based on salinity, alkalinity th
nd variextu
and The
etwal ya D
classes. So, D value is more appropriate to assess the quality of variation of
of
of
irrigatio soil
vatvaken
Loam 3.0
Clay 4.0
PROBLEM 1
Nat
SAR=
Ca2+Mg2* /2
where all cationic concentrations were expressed in mel.
SAR indicates
The the tendency for the soil to
become higher in exchangeablesoolu
higher SAR values mean higher exchangeable sodium percentages and lower soil
permeabln
If an irrigation water contains bicarbonate
(HCO) and carbonate 1ons,
tu (CO)
precipitale calcium and magnesium, which nto
increases the SAR. The formula,tak
account these changes, is called the
adjusted SAR. It is defined as
adj SAR=
VCa2 Mg*y/2
Nat
+ + (8.4-pH)
WATK
OF IRR
IRRIGATION 291
qUALITY
pH, =(pk'-pk,")+ pl 1+ p[Ca+ Mg"1
HCO
nd (pk,'-pk,")= Concentrationof Ca", Mg and Na ions
where Concentration
pHCO) of carbonate and bicarbonate
Mg) =Concentrationof Ca2 and Mg2 jons
PCa
late the adj SAR for an
irrigation water with these ions contents: 7 mel of Ca,
2 of
Mg, 5 mel" of Na", 4 mel of HCO, and a total ionic concentration of 14
mel
sOLUTIOON
Interpolation to get values between those listed in the above table, (pk2 -pke) at 14
mel total ions = about 2.30.
The p( Ca* +Mg*) =(7 +2)+mel =9mel =2.35,
and p(HCO) =4 mel=2.40
Therefore,
PROBLEM 3
An water having
irrigation EC value of 450
contains calcium (Ca*) and magnesium
mSm (milliSiemens Der ms
(i) the (Mg**), 2.0 and 1.0mel metre)
concentration of sodium (Na") in respectively. Caleul
mel and soluble sodium
the water
irrigation (ii) SAR of the
irrigation
percentage(SSP)
water Give comments f
of
water on the
irrigation
sOLUTIOON
From the equation it is found,
Nat BC (Ca2+Mg*)
100
where EC mSm
Na, Ca and Mg2* concentration =mel
Now we get,
4.5-3 Na x 100
Ca2 +Mg2* Na +
1.5 1.5x 100
2+1+1.5
15x 100 4.5
= 33.33
RRIGATION WATER 293
ALITY
OIR
SAR
Na
caMg y2
1.5 1.5
1.5
2D
2
/2 1.224
1.225
The irigation
water has no sodium hazard and it can be safely used for the irigation
purposes
EC
concentration
value in mŠnm, (d)
in
osmotic pressue
value irrigafion approximate
SAR of the waler,
water containing such soluble cations and (e) total dissolved salts in + mg
f the irrigation
water
r of the irrigation
sOLUTION
We know,
Total dissolved orsolublesalts (mgl)= EC (dSm')x 640
9 Na 18 18
(b) SAR
yCa+Mg2 6+2)/2 4
Therefore, the imigation water has a SAR value of 9.
CTORY
26 SOILSC
fc) BC (dSm)=TotalCation(mel) 10 10
= 2.6
We know
1dSm 'at 25C=
100 mSm'at 25°C
I
amhos cm' =0.1 mSm
water has an EC of(2.6 x
Therefore, the imigation value
100)
260+mSm" or mSm
h Osmotic Pressure (OP) in bars or atmosphere
2600jumhos cm'
= EC (dSm)x0.36
or
EC (mSm)x 10-2 x 0.36
EC 300
x
100 100 75
FCa 400
BRACKISH WATER
16.2.
h water is water that has more as much as seawater
salinity than fresh water, but not
water
Bracki from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in
result
may
fossil
ckish fossil
aquifers. The word comes from the Middle Dutch root "brak",meani
salty". Certain
human activities can produce brackish water, in certan
or "sal particular
alten" such as dikes and the of to produce
engincering projects flooding coastal marshland
il engineering waste
water pools for freshwater prawn farming.Brackish water is also the primary
tof ckish
the salinity gradient power process. Because brackish water is hostile
terrestrial plant species, without appropriate
to the
is damaging to
of most
of management it
rowth
the environment.
Technically, brackish
water contains between and 30 grams of salt perlitre -more
0.5
as 0.5 to 30 parts a
per thousand (p or %o). Thus, brackish covers
often expressed
and is not a precisely defined condition. It is
nge of salinity regimes considered characteristic
brackish surtace waters that their salinity can very considerably over space and/or
of many
time
habitats
Brackish water
water is water that has more salinity than fresh but
Brackish water or briny water, not
It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in
estuaries.
as much as seawater.
brackish
in brackish fossil aquifers. Certain human activities can produce
or it may occur
certain civil engineering projects such as dikes and the flooding of
coastal
water, in particular
brackish water pools for freshwater prawn farming. Brackish
water is
marshland to produce
water
also the primary
waste product of the salinity gradient power process. Because brackish
plant species, without appropriate management
it
Technically, brackish water contains between 0.5 and 30 grams of salt per litre-more
often expressed as 0.5 to 30 parts per thousand (ppt or eo). Thus, brackish covers a range
not considered defined condition. It is characteristic of
a precisely
of
salinity regimes and is
anadromous
ype of
of river estuaries.
and
catadromous
succession from a
River estuaries
fish
to adjust to the
species, such as salmon
fresh
and eels,
giving the
anadromou
ue
yStem is
SCIENO
i
yypiea
migration
ime
e
sOlL
live in the sea but ascend rivers to spawn; cels are catadromous, living in tiu heanin
rivers eaning
but returning to the sea to breed. Besides the species that migrate and hey
through
other fish that use them as "nursery grounds" for or streams
many spawning as estuaries, he
places you thete
feed and grow before
moving elsewhere. Estuaries are also
commonly used as at
asfc fish
and as places for fish farming or ranching. fishing
grOunds
Mangroves
Another important brackish water habitat is the
mangrove swamp or mano
not all,
mangrove swamps fringe estuaries and lagoons where
though the sali Many
with each tide. Among the most
specialised residents of mangrove y Many,
forests are
fish that forage for food on land, and archer
fish, perch-like
mud-schanges
fish that
"spit" at -skippers,
other small animals
living in the trees, knocking them into the water
where they
Like estuarnes, mangrove swamps are can be and
they can
extremely important breeding grounds eaten.
with species such as forman
snappers,halfbeaks, and tarpon spawning or many
Besidesfish, numerous other animals use maturing amono,
mangroves, including such specialists as the
crocodile, American crocodile sal
proboscis monkey, diamondback terrapin, and the
crab-eat
frog, Fejervarya concrivora
(formerly Rana cancrivora). Mangroves
represent importans
nesting site for numerous birds
groups such as herons,storks, spoonbills,
ibises, kingfishe
shorebirds and seabirds. ers,
Sea
originates
Osmosis ms can be used to
system: remove both salts and organic materials from
Reverse
Kater, communities with limited
water, enab
enabling fresh water to increase
kish potable water for
brackis Long lasting, highly efficient membranes reduce
inhabitants. demineralization and
their
costs.
desalination
he oreservation of the
effectiveness and life
span of a Reverse Osmosis (RO)
ent is required. A
a sufficient pre-treatment proper selection of pre-treatment methods
will and extend the life
water will improve affectivity
installat
span of the system by preventing
for feed and
mizing biofouling,
bic scaling membrane plugging.
or minimizing
aprform an uninterrupted and reliable pre-treatment of the feed water a
special
is used. A
pr
pre-treatment that is not
geared to the installation may cause a
proach system
is occurs the system parts need
this
oad. When cleaning much more often to restore
otivity and salt retention. Cleaning costs, system performance and standstill time are
in that situation.
very significant
The kind of pre-treatment system that is used greatly depends on feed water quality.
sufficient feed water pre-treatment
Consequentially, is dependent on :
.The source of the feed water
.The composition of the feed water
The function of the feed water
exact water analysis performed. This action is an important step for the design of a pre-
is
system and the entire Reverse Osmosis system, because this often determines the
type and size of the pre-treatment.
.WaterTreatment Systems
.Reverse Osmosis Systems
- Technical Specifications
.Nanofiltration
- Technical Specifications
.Ultrafiltration/Microfiltration
Electrodionization (EDI)
.Carbon Filtration
Multimedia Filtration A
Disinfection and Sterilization
- Ozone
Systems
- UV
Systems
Water Types Treated
- Salt water
- Brackish water
998
INTRODUCTORY
sOIL
Eluent NCTRN
ING
Potable water
Process water
Applications
Power plants
Beverage
rinking water
Pharmaceutical water
Components and Supplies
-Membranes
Fiters
Pumps
16.3. AGRONOMIC PRACTICES FOR USE OF PROBLEMATIC
EFFLUENT AND SEWAGE WATER WATER.sALe
R-SALINE,
(SAR).
boron may be toxic to plant in imits beyond
race element growth, if present
permissible.
of salt on crop growth is of osmotic nature. If excessive quantities of
The effect
5.
in the root
lble salts accumulate zone the crop has extra difficult in extracting
from salty solution,
enough water thereby affecting the yields adversely.
, Soil characteristics
etc.
like structure, texture, organic matter, nature of clay minerals,
topography
characteristics like tolerance varies with different stages of growth.
sPlant of plant
The germinating and seedling stages are usually the most sensitive to salinity.
vital role.
for salt control are the water requirementof crop and quality of irrigation water.
management
soil water deficit, to control salt levels.
Correct irigation should restore any
Points to be considered tor the management and use of poor quality water
to the
2.
Increasing the proportion of calcium, through addition of gypsum (CaSO,)
imigation water in the channel, by keeping pebbles mixed pure gypsum bundles in
.
sorghum, corn, sunflower, chillies, tobacco, onion, tomato,garden beans
and lucerne. beans, groundnut,
amaranthus
Use of poor quality water
Besides the salinity and alkalinity hazard of water, some industrial
effluents and
water are also problem water that can be reused
by proper treatment. The
of industries and urbanization comple wage
(Urban development) leads to massive
increase in wast h
in the form
of sewage and effluent. Waste water supplies not only nutrient but
also son
elements such as total solids of chloride,
carbonate, bicarbonate,
me to
sulphate, sodium chromi
calcium magnesium, etc., in
high concentration. Besides this the effluent or
creates BOD (Bio-chemical waste
Oxygen Demand). These waste water when used
leads to surface and sub-surface for irigati
source of pollution due to horizontal and tion
vertical seenae
Waste-water Utilization
It is estimated that
A.D. Hence
2,87,000 million m of waste-water can be
reusable during 2.000
this waste water can be treated as follows
properly
Dilute with good water
quality in the ratio
of 50 : 50 or 75: 25.
Altermate irigation with waste water and
good quality water.
Treat the effluent water through fill and draw
tanks, lime tank,
settling tank, equalization tank,
sludge removal tank, aerobic and anaerobic
treatment tanks etc.