Optimization of Zone Leaching for Salinity Control in Arid and Semiarid Regions.

Flood irrigation in conjunction with subsurface drainage is a commonly applied method for leaching excess salts from agricultural soils in arid and semiarid regions. We applied HYDRUS to optimize a zone leaching procedure, where partial ponding is applied rather than flooding of the entire area. Model simulations compare favorably with measurements conducted in Hele-Shaw cells. Results clearly demonstrate that partial ponding is more efficient than complete ponding, thereby conserving valuable water resources.