Reusing drainage water for leaching of saline and sodic soils in the Khuzestan province, Iran

Abstract

Abstract A substantial amount of drainage water is generated in the irrigation and drainage networks of the Khuzestan province, located in the southwest of Iran, and it requires effective management. One low-risk strategy for repurposing this drainage water involves its utilization for the reclamation of saline lands. In this study, we investigated the reclamation of saline and sodic soils within the Dosalagh plain. The experimental tests employed the double-ring method, focusing on leaching at depths ranging from 0 to 150 cm in the soil. The treatments encompassed four distinct water qualities (characterized by electrical conductivities of 2.12, 7, 25, and 40 dS m−1) and four different water depths (0, 25, 50, and 75 cm). The soil underwent examination using the intermittent leaching method, which involved a 2-day interruption, and this process was repeated three times. The incorporation of drainage water resulted in a reduction of the electrical conductivity at the 0–25 cm soil depth, decreasing from 117.7 to 29 dS m−1. Furthermore, this addition contributed to a decline in the sodium content within this layer, dropping from 1415.9 to 39.83 meq l−1.