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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #67185
Title: POLYACRYLAMIDE (PAM) FOR FURROW-IRRIGATION EROSION CONTROL CONTROL

Author
item Sojka, Robert
item Lentz, Rodrick

Submitted to: Irrigation Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/2/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Polyacrylamide (PAM) in furrow irrigation water virtually halts furrow irrigation-induced erosion. PAM is an environmentally safe industrial flocculent used extensively in municipal water treatment, paper manufacturing, food processing and other sensitive applications. On freshly cultivated furrows, about 1 lb/acre of PAM applied at 10 ppm in the irrigation water inflow advance (only), reduces field sediment loss an average of 95%. Net infiltration increases 15% in silt loam soils with PAM-use. 1995 some 50,000 acres of furrow irrigated farm land used PAM to halt erosion, saving an estimated 1 million tons of soil in this first year of commercialization of the technology. Improved irrigation return flow quality to receiving waters has been documented for sediment, BOD, total P, and various pesticides, pointing to a substantial potential for environmental benefit. Many farmers who were reluctant to use traditional soil conservation practices see PAM-use as an attractive alternative they are willing to implement. PAM-use with irrigation is an inexpensive erosion control practice (typically $15-$30 per acre per crop), which is often retrieved by savings in erosion related field operations, water conservation, or crop responses. PAM- use in irrigation is expected to expand rapidly in 1996. Farmers need to purchase only register PAMs and be familiar with the NRCS practice standard for proper efficient use.

Technical Abstract: The Kimberly, ID ARS lab has developed use of polyacrylamide (PAM) in furrow irrigation water to halt furrow irrigation-induced erosion. PAM is an environmentally safe industrial flocculent used extensively in municipal water treatment, paper manufacturing, food processing and other sensitive applications. On freshly cultivated furrows, when using about 1 lb/acre of PAM applied at 10 ppm in the irrigation water inflow advance (only), field sediment loss in runoff is reduced an average of 95%. Net infiltration increases 15% in Idaho soils with PAM-use. 1995 some 50,000 acres of furrow irrigated farm land used PAM to halt erosion, saving an estimated 1 million tons of soil in this first year of commercialization of the technology. Improved irrigation return flow quality to receiving waters has been documented for sediment, BOD, total P, and various pesticides, pointing to a substantial potential for environmental benefit. Many farmers who have regarded traditional conservation practices too cumbersome, intrusive, or ineffectual to warrant acceptance, see PAM-use as an attractive alternative they are willing to implement. PAM-use with irrigation is an inexpensive erosion control practice (typically $15-$30 per acre per crop), which is often retrieved by savings in erosion related field operations, water conservation, or crop responses. PAM use in irrigation is expected to expand even more rapidly in 1996. The paper presents user tips and cautions important to taking full advantage of the new PAM technology for improved on-farm water management and erosion control.