Excessive sodium may cause poor physical conditions of the soils which can interfere with crop stand establishment. Alkaline soils are created by irrigating with water that contains high concentrations of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate. It is possible to develop both salinity and alkalinity problems in the same field. Back to top Correct diagnosis of problems concerning irrigation water quality are critical for effective management. Water quality testing is an important step in diagnosing existing problems and identifying potential problems.
Several values are helpful in evaluating the quality of a particular water source.
Together can cause soil pH increases near water inlet and inflow areas, causing zinc or phosphorus deficiency in silt loam soils. 1 Lower levels can cause injury in some cases. 2 Table 7 provides a brief guide for evaluating water quality. The calcium and bicarbonate concentrations provide an estimate of the amount of lime that will be deposited and predictions can be made concerning the change in soil pH with long-term use. Electrical conductivity is a measure of the total salts that are dissolved in the water, which allows an estimate of the potential for salinity injury to rice with use of the water.