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<br />IV. Legal, Institutional, Sociological and Environmental Constraints <br /> <br />There are no legal, institutional, sociological or environmental constraints that would affect the successful <br />implementation of this demonstration project that can be identified by the Project Coordinator or the Principal <br />Investigators. <br /> <br />V. Methods of Dissemination of Demonstration Project Results <br /> <br />The progress and results of the demonstrations will be made available to the potential users and general public <br />through news releases in area and regional newspapers and radio spots on area radio stations. Each year of the <br />demonstration project, 1998 and 1999, a field day and tour of some of the project sites will be conducted to <br />allow the general public to see the irrigation application technology and water table management with open and <br />lor tile drains. The principal investigators, local participants and/or technical advisors will give presentations <br />of their areas of work and results available at the time. Also, a salinity workshop will be held as part of the <br />salinity mapping demonstration. <br /> <br />A final report and a condensed brochure will be assembled presenting results of the various phases of the project. <br /> <br />These findings and results will be submitted to related national societies' for presentation at their meetings and <br />in their journals. <br /> <br />VI. Innovative Features of the Project <br /> <br />Salinity Mapping Technology: Salinity problems start when previously non-saline soils become saline as a <br />result of irrigation. Salts begin to accumulate within the soil profile because all waters contain some dissolved <br />salts. The accumulation occurs when salts are left behind as crops take up water. With continued salt <br />accumulation, water becomes less available for plant growth, causing lower crop yields. <br /> <br />Salinity problems in fields are often difficult to spot before significant crop damage occurs. Typically, saline <br />soils are recognized by the presence of white crusting on the soil surface, spotty crop stands or by irregular plant <br />growth. <br /> <br />Historically, field salinity problems have been assessed by taking soil samples and sending them to a laboratory <br />for analysis. There are several limitations to assessing salinity using this conventional technique. To effectively <br />sample a field, several hundred soil samples may be required, particularly for large fields. At 10 minutes per <br />sample, time investment in the field is substantial. Second, it is not uncommon for the cost of analysis to exceed <br />$25 per sample. Third, it is common for laboratory results to take weeks before information is received. Fourth, <br />conventional methods aren't conducive to returning to a field to check and monitor the effectiveness of any <br />management or structural practice on the salinity problem. <br /> <br />Techniques to provide inexpensive, accurate and detailed data for large areas will be demonstrated so growers <br />can get more effective diagnosis, management and monitoring of salinity conditions. <br /> <br />The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Colorado is currently acquiring and developing equipment and <br />instrumentation patterned after the prototypes developed by the staff at the USDA-ARS U.S. Salinity Laboratory <br /> <br />5 <br />