Hydrologic Considerations for the Reclamation of Saline Soils

Different hydrologic aspects related with the development of saline soils and their reclamation have been investigated. The three important factors namely, climate, hydrology and soil have been described as the basis for establishing agro-hydrological characteristics of a saline area. Based upon the salinity measurements in drained and undrained saline, land it has been observed that for effective use of rainwater for the leaching of salts, lowering of water-table is very necessary. Infiltration studies and rainfall frequency analysis have shown that by providing 7.5 cm depth of retention storage in the saline area, all the rainwater with 10 years recurrence interval couldbe retained within the field. Field bunding resulted in significant decrease in salinity, which was further reduced by providing subsurface drainage. The surface runoff received in the study area through a network of drains coming from the adjoining upstream alkali tracts with high runoff producing potentials could be a good fresh water resource to be used for reclamation of saline soils.