Abstract
Coal bed natural gas (CBNG) development in the Powder River (PR) Basin produces modestly saline, highly sodic wastewater. This study assessed impacts of wetting four textural groups [0–11%, 12–22%, 23–33%, and >33% clay [(g clay/100 g soil)×100%)] with simulated PR or CBNG water on water retention. Soils received the following treatments with each water quality: a single wetting event, five wetting and drying events, or five wetting and drying events followed by leaching with salt‐free water. Treated samples were then resaturated with the final treatment water and equilibrated to −10, −33, −100, −500, or −1,500 kPa. At all potentials, soil water retention increased significantly with increasing clay content. Drought‐prone soils lost water‐holding capacity between saturation and field capacity with repeated wetting and drying, whereas finer textured soils withstood this treatment better and had increased water‐retention capacity at lower matric potentials.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
