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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #94434
Title: RUNOFF AND EROSION CONTROL WITH POLYACRYLAMIDE APPLIED THROUGH SPRINKLER IRRIGATION

Author
item Bjorneberg, David - Dave
item Aase, J
item Sojka, Robert

Submitted to: ASAE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Adding polyacrylamide (PAM) to furrow irrigation water can reduce soil erosion more than 90%. We conducted laboratory and field tests to determine if applying PAM with sprinkler irrigation similarly reduces soil erosion and possibly increases infiltration. Laboratory tests showed that runoff and soil loss were 2 to 6 times greater when soil was irrigated without PAM as compared to irrigating with PAM at a rate of 2 kg ha/1. The reduction in runoff and soil loss, however, was minimal after two subsequent irrigations without PAM. During field tests in 1997, clear water ponded on the soil surface when irrigation water contained PAM, but ponded water was very muddy when PAM was not being applied. However, this only occurred during PAM application; the residual effects were minimal. No soil surface, vegetative or ponding differences were evident during the remainder of the growing season. Applying PAM through sprinkler irrigation has more subtle effects and requires greater application rates compared to furrow irrigation.

Technical Abstract: Applying polyacrylamide (PAM) with furrow irrigation water can reduce soil erosion more than 90%. We conducted laboratory and field tests to determine if applying PAM through sprinkler irrigation had similar benefits of increased infiltration and reduced soil erosion. Laboratory tests were conducted on 1.5 m long, 1.2 m wide and 0.2 m deep soil boxes. We used silty clay loam and clay loam soils and 2 and 4 kg PAM ha/1 rates. Runoff and soil loss from laboratory soil boxes were 2 to 6 times greater when soil was irrigated without PAM as compared to irrigating with at least 2 kg PAM ha/1. After two subsequent irrigations without PAM, runoff was similar between PAM treated and untreated soil. PAM continued to reduce soil loss at the 2 kg ha/1 rate on the silty clay and at the 4 kg ha/1 rate on clay loam. In 1997 field tests on silt loam, ponded water was clear when irrigation water contained approximately 20 ppm PAM. Aggregate stability was also greater on PAM treated soil compared to untreated soil after the PAM-treated irrigation. However, no soil surface, vegetative or ponding differences were evident during the remainder of the growing season. PAM may need to be applied during several irrigations to maintain the beneficial effects longer during the growing season.