Laserfiche WebLink
<br />What actually happens in the Underlying ground water aquifer is <br />the geO-hYdro-chemical process unique to that site. The process <br />is important but the measurement of the quantity and quality of <br />the inflow and outflow water is What is needed to develop basic <br />Water and salt bUdgets for existing and future conditions. <br />Although somewhat simplified, the aquifer under the irrigated <br />area can be viewed as a "large bath tUb"- irrigation water Coming <br />in, drainage Water going out. During the irrigation season the <br />tub fills up and runs over. During the winter season it drains <br />out. Water is mixed and disPlaced to varYing degrees, <br />particularly in the shallow aquifer. some areas have confining <br />layers separating grOundwater aquifers. Most areas have some <br />ground water inflow mixing with irrigation water. To complete <br />the analogy, add some natural groundwater inflow and outflow not <br />measured as irrigation water. Seepage and deep percolation is an <br />incr~ent of change to be added to the natural ground water <br />bUdget. <br /> <br />8 <br /> <br />Figure 2. Illustration of Geo-hYdro-chemical process in irrigated <br />Areas. <br /> <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />Information from monitoring wells in the aquifer affected by <br />irrigation is Used to determine water chemistry, water table <br />depths, and define the aquifer and help explain the geO-hYdro_ <br />. chemical process. Sometimes the hYdrosalinity process is <br />referred to as the "soup theory". Within the bowl of soup there <br />is dissolution of salt minerals, mixing of ground water with <br />canal seepage and deep percolating irrigation water, some Use by <br />PhreatoPhytes, and disPlacement. In a more scientific concept <br />this is the black box theory. In the simplest terms, the effect <br />of irrigation improvements on salt loading has been computed <br />USing the ch.nge in deep percol.tion and seep'ge between eXisting <br />and future Conditions. <br /> <br />