Shallow Groundwater Depth Under Saline Irrigation...
Soil salinization and critical shallow groundwater depth under saline irrigation
conditions in a Saharan irrigated land
Zied Haj Amor a, Nissma Feki b, Salem Bouri a aWater, Energy and Environment
Laboratory, National Engineering School of Sfax, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
bEnvironmental, Geotechnical and Civil Materials Research Unit, National
Engineering School of Sfax, 3038 Sfax, Tunisia
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Abstract
In arid irrigated areas, understanding the impact of shallow groundwater on soil
salinization is becoming critical for suggesting possible options of improving land
productivity. In this study, under saline irrigation conditions, the effects of shallow
groundwater depth on water and salt dynamics in the root zone of date palms were
analyzed in a Tunisian Saharan oasis (Lazala Oasis) using the HYDRUS 1D model.
Measured data of soil electrical conductivities were used in model validation. The
comparison between simulated and measured data demonstrated that the HYDRUS
1D gave an acceptable estimation of water and salt dynamics in the root zone of date
palms. Under frequent irrigations with saline water (6 dS m 1), scenario simulations
were performed with different depths of shallow groundwater. The simulation results
reveal that, during the summer season, high irrigation frequency and shallow
groundwater with low depth (0.8 m) are required to maintain adequate soil water
content and low