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<br />w <br />(Q <br />W <br />1-'''' <br /> <br />3 <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />Several years research has been conducted involving the shared use <br /> <br />of water as an electrical power generating plant and irrigation for <br /> <br />agricultural use. Water is taken into the power plant and is partially <br /> <br />"consumed" in the evaporation-cooling cycle until the salinity reaches a <br /> <br />high point where it must be disposed of. This waste water is used for <br /> <br />irrigation which results in increased crop production and further "con- <br /> <br />sumption" by agricultural plants. Not only is this system the best <br /> <br />economic alternative for the particular situation studied, but it also <br /> <br />minimizes the decreased crop production caused by using the water for <br /> <br />power plant cooling rather than irrigation. <br /> <br />This report covers the fifth year of the study. The first four <br /> <br />years have been summarized earlier. Generally, the first three years <br /> <br />showed no decrease in yield due to irrigation with the saline irrigation <br /> <br />water compared to normal irrigation with fresh water. However, in the <br /> <br />fourth year, there was a yield decrease of about 20 percent. This decrease <br /> <br />was thought to be associated with "acidic" materials used for cleaning <br /> <br />which got into the irrigation supply at several instances. Soil salinity <br /> <br />buildup appeared to have leveled off at a value which is not toxic to <br /> <br />plant growth. <br /> <br />The general object of this project is to identify specific management <br /> <br />procedures which will allow the use of saline waste water from power plants <br /> <br />for irrigation. Evaluation of the effects of irrigation involving <br /> <br />monitoring yields, soil salt status, and ground water flow. Predictions <br /> <br />will be made of future effects from model computation. The data collected <br /> <br />are a valuable source for validation of the models. <br />