Background Irrigation
'New irrigation techniques against the advance of salinization'
Fresh water is required for irrigation. Salinization is therefore a major problem for large areas in which agriculture is dependent on irrigation, according to research by Utrecht University. The use of smart irrigation techniques can limit the development of salinity.
In addition to road salt, mining and erosion, irrigation appears to be an important cause of salinization and not only in dry areas. In large parts of the world, water from rivers is used for agricultural irrigation, among other things. If that water becomes too salty, it can no longer be used for irrigation.
From a study by Josefin Thorslund of Utrecht University that was published in Nature shows that, for example, in the Mississippi, irrigation is the main cause of salinization. "We already knew from previous research that irrigation can salinize local groundwater and river water in catchments, especially in arid regions," Thorslund said in a statement accompanying the study. "Now we've found that it's not just a local problem, it's really a global problem. And even in parts of the Mekong River Basin, which is a fairly wet area, we've seen salinity increase since the XNUMXs."
Sea level rise amplifies the effect
Rising sea levels can exacerbate this problem in delta areas because the salty seawater can penetrate further upstream into the country. According to Thorslund, the infrastructure in the Netherlands is in order to absorb this effect and to desalinate or flush the salt water.
Irrigation is sensitive to salinization, but it also causes salinization. One way to break this irrigation-salt cycle is to experiment with different types of irrigation techniques. "With traditional above-ground irrigation, you lose a lot of water through evaporation, which increases the salinity and you need more water to compensate for that. By using smart irrigation techniques, you can eliminate that effect," reports Thorslund.
In addition, it is important that water managers have as much information as possible about where salinization occurs, so that measures can be taken if necessary.
Jurphaas Lugtenburg
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