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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #217136
Title: Effects of a new polysaccharide-based amendment on furrow irrigation infiltration and erosion

Author
item Bjorneberg, David - Dave
item Sojka, Robert

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/3/2008
Publication Date: 3/1/2008
Citation: Bjorneberg, D.L., Sojka, R.E. 2008. Effects of a new polysaccharide-based amendment on furrow irrigation infiltration and erosion. Transactions of the ASABE. 51(2):529-534.

Interpretive Summary: Controlling soil erosion on furrow irrigated fields is essential to maintain productivity and reduce off-site impacts of eroded sediment. Previous research has proven that water soluble polyacrylamide (PAM) is an extremely effective amendment for controlling furrow irrigation erosion. However, much of the manufacturing cost of PAM is associated with the cost of natural gas. Identifying effective alternatives to PAM is desired for continued, affordable irrigation erosion control. We evaluated the effectiveness of a new polysaccharide/PAM amendment in two furrow-irrigated field tests in southern Idaho. The polysaccharide/PAM amendment increased cumulative infiltration 19% and PAM treatments increased infiltration 7 to 13% compared to untreated furrows. PAM treatments reduced total sediment loss 90 to 98% compared to untreated furrows, while the polysaccharide/PAM treatments reduced sediment loss 49 to 65%. These test results indicate that the polysaccharide/PAM amendment can be used as an alternative, albeit less effective, to PAM for reducing sediment loss from furrow irrigated fields.

Technical Abstract: Controlling soil erosion on furrow irrigated fields is essential to maintain productivity and reduce off-site impacts. Identifying effective alternatives to polyacrylamide (PAM) is desired for continued, affordable irrigation erosion control. We compared the effectiveness of a new polysaccharide/PAM amendment with water soluble, high molecular weight, anionic PAM in two furrow-irrigated field tests in southern Idaho. Test 1 evaluated three rates of the new amendment (6, 12, and 18 mg/Lof polysaccharide/PAM), two PAM rates (2 and 10 mg/L of PAM), 10 mg/L polysaccharide, and a control during two irrigations on a fallow field. Treatments were applied as a solution with furrow inflow water during irrigation advance. Test 1 results indicated that polysaccharide/PAM amendment could improve infiltration and reduce sediment loss compared to untreated furrows, but its effectiveness seemed to diminish when application stopped. Polysaccharide alone did not significantly effect infiltration, runoff, or sediment loss compared to the control for either irrigation, whereas the polysaccharide/PAM amendment significantly increased infiltration and reduced sediment loss for one irrigation. Test 2 compared polysaccharide/PAM amendment and PAM, both applied at 2 mg/L (active ingredient) continually during irrigation (dissolved treatments) or as a dry patch near the furrow inflow point (patch treatments), during four irrigations on a dry bean field. Both amendments significantly increased cumulative infiltration and decreased cumulative runoff and sediment loss compared to untreated furrows. Dissolved polysaccharide/PAM increased cumulative infiltration 19% compared to the control, while dissolved PAM, patch polysaccharide/PAM, and patch PAM treatments increased cumulative infiltration 13, 11, and 7%, respectively, compared to the control. Dissolved and patch PAM and dissolved and patch polysaccharide/PAM treatments significantly reduced cumulative sediment loss 98, 90, 65, and 49%, respectively, compared to the untreated furrows. These test results indicate that the polysaccharide/PAM amendment can be used as an alternative, albeit less effective, to PAM for reducing sediment loss from furrow irrigated fields.