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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #71320
Title: SOIL EROSION AND PESTICIDE TRANSPORT FROM AN IRRIGATED FIELD

Author
item SINGH, G. - U. C. RIVERSIDE
item LETEY, J. - U.C. RIVERSIDE
item HANSON, P. - COOP EXT. STANISLAUS CNTY
item OSTERLI, P. - COOP EXT. STANISLAUS CNTY
item SPENCER, W. - 5310-20-05 (COLLABORATOR)

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Science and Health
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Soil erosion from croplands is a worldwide problem, which has led to pesticide contamination of surface waters. The use of high molecular weight polymers has been demonstrated to be effective in increasing water infiltration and reducing erosion in furrow irrigated fields. This paper reports the results of an experiment in reducing erosion and pesticide transport. The use of polymers in a furrow irrigated field to reduce the runoff loss of pesticides such as kelthane increased infiltration rates and moderately reduced the total sediment concentration. Both of these mechanisms may lead to reduced pesticide removal by runoff from irrigated fields receiving pesticide applications, and reduce pesticide concentrations in surface waters.

Technical Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of an anionic polyacrylamide injection in irrigation water on kelthane runoff and sediment transport from a lima bean soil. Periodic runoff water samples from the polymer treated and untreated control furrows were collected from three kelthane residues by standard techniques. In addition, water in- and out-flow rates were measured periodically to calculate the effect of polymer treatment on water infiltration. The total and suspended sediments in the polymer treated furrows were significantly lower than the untreated ones. Kelthane concentrations in the runoff water in individual furrows were dependent on suspended solid load. During the two post-treatment irrigations (8 h each), only 0.16 and 0.30% of the applied kelthane was observed in the runoff from the treated and untreated plots, respectively.