WATERLOGGING

Dr. M. Dhakshinamoorthy
Professor (SS&AC)
IMTI, Trichy
 CAUSES FOR WATER LOGGING
 Poor natural drainage
 Heavy downpour coupled with poor natural
drainage
 Spilling of rivers and continuous submergence
 Poor irrigation management without
considering soil properties
 Heavy seepages from canal, distributaries and
water sources
 Development activities (road/bridges/railway line)
choking of natural drains
 Poor drainage system
 Poor upkeep of water sheds
 Hydraulic pressure from upper irrigated areas/
Seepage in low lying areas
 EFFECTS OF WATER LOGGING
 Accumulation of excess soluble salts in shallow
water table
 Reduction of soil strength
 Oxygen diffusion is 10,000 times lesser then
running water
 Redox potential is – 400mV

 Accumulation of Co2 , CH4, HCo3-, Co32- and H2S

 Change in the soil pH and stabilization
(Neutral)
 Anaerobes microbes exists with low energy
level
 Reduced nutrient availability
 Accumulation of toxicants (H2S, CH4)
 Poor crop growth/nutritional disorders and
yield reduction
 ILL EFFECTS ON SOIL

 Lack of aeration (Oxygen)

 Reduced soil temperature
 Creation of salinization
 Inhibiting/Reducing microbial activity
 Problems in managing the soil
 Obstruction to seed germination
/growth
 Excess weed growth
 Affecting salt and water balance
 Damage to building, wells, pipelines,
roads etc.
 Water logging causes soil salinity
Poor drainage
Sea water intrusion
 SALINITY AND WATERLOGGING IN THE COMPOSITE THANJAVUR Dt.

Districts Ill drained & Salinity/Sodicity

waterlogging
Soil Area (ha) Soil series Area (in
series ha)
Thanjav Kallivaya 482(0.14 Kallivayal 482
ur l %) (0.14%)
Thiruvar Kallivaya 1535 Kallivayal & 3727
ur l (0.8%) Kivalur (1.9%)
Naga- Kallivaya 10486 Kallivayal, 36845
pattinum l & (4.6%) Kivalur & (16.3%)
Naga- Nagapattinum
pattinum
 MANAGEMENT OF WATERLOGGED
SOILS
•Provision of surface drainage
•Lining the canals to avoid seepage and
associated Stalinization
•Harvesting of the run off water and its
recycling in the post rainy season
•Increasing the carrying capacity of the
drainage channels by strengthening the
bunds
 MANAGEMENT OF WATERLOGGED
•Conjunctive use SOILS
of ground water, canal
water and stored rainwater to
arrest/reverse the rise of water table
•Provision of check dams to prevent the
sea water intrusion
•Growing saline resistant, high yielding
deep water rice varieties (ADT40, CO43,
TRY 1 & 2, IR 36, IR 42, Pokkali)
 OTHER CONSTRATINTS

• Irrigation induced water

logging
• Poor quality irrigation
water
• Salinity due to prawn
culture
 Coastal Soils
Characteristics
Clay < 10 % Sand > 90 %
Very low water retention capacity
pH varies from 7.9 to 8.1
EC is generally < 0.23
CEC 3.8 to 8.4 me/100g
High CaCO3 and SOM
 Management of Coastal soils
Provision of Protective Embankment
Levelling the land to provide uniform
drainage of excess water
Avoid summer fallow to avoid sea water
intrusion
Mulching during post harvest period to
improve soil properties
 Management of Coastal soils
 Lowering water table through deep drains
 Grow Rice varieties that tolerate water
logging and salinity
 Transplant more seedlings per hill
 Apply suitable amendments as and when
necessary
 Acid Sulphate soils
 Low pH (3 – 4) and medium to high salinity
 High OM decomposition in brackish water
under anaerobic conditions results in Iron
Pyrites
 Pyrites on oxidation give H2SO4 lowering
soil pH
 Found in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand,
Vietnam, India, Senegal,
 Acid Sulphate soils
Toxic concentration of Fe and Al
Low availability of Ca and P,
Shallow water table resulting in water
logging,
Low base saturation.
 Acid Sulphate soils
 Water logged Soils – Suitable for Rice only
 Never drain these soils – Pyrites gets oxidized
to sulphuric acid – pH further lowered
 Apply lime to increase pH and reduce toxicity
of Fe and Al
 Heavy doses of lime 5 – 10 t/ha every 2 to 3
years
 Soil Physical Constraints

Slow permeable soils

Excessive permeable soils
Sub soil hard pan
Shallow soils
Fluffy paddy soils
Surface crusting
 Slow Permeable Soil

High clay content

Low Infiltration Rate – 6 cm/day
High Surface Runoff
Impeded Drainage
Low nutrient availability due to fixation
in clay lattice
 Slow Permeable Soil
739 sq.km in Coimbatore, 526 sq.km in
Dharmapuri 1243 sq.km in Trichy and 420
sq.km in Salem district

Apply organic manures 10 to 15 t/ha to

improve soil physical properties

Form Ridges and Furrows to Provide

aeration to roots and provide adequate
drainage
 Excessive Permeable Soil

High sand > 70 %

Low water and nutrient retention capacity
Weak aggregate structure due to low OM and
finer fractions
6,519 sq.km in Coimbatore, 3,774 sq.km in
Dharmapuri; 2,800 sq.km in Trichi, 1,837 sq.km
in Madurai, 1,845 sq.km in Salem and 524
sq.km in North Arcot Districts.
 Excessive Permeable Soil

Plough the soil uniformly 24 hours after rains

or irrigation
The soil should be rolled 10 times with 400 kg
stone roller of 1 met long (or) an empty tar drum
filled with 400 kg sand
 Sub soil hard pan
Occur in red soils – 8 m ha in T N
illuviation of clay to the sub soil horizons coupled
with cementing action of oxides of iron, Aluminium
and calcium carbonate
High BD – 1.8 g/cc
low infiltration, WHC, available water and
movement of air and nutrients
1,320 sq.km in Coimbatore, 2,450 sq.km in Madurai
and 1,448 sq.km in North Arcot districts.
 Sub soil hard pan
Advantages of chisel ploughing
Reduces the BD by 0.2 to 0.4 mg. m-3.

The hydraulic conductivity was almost doubled in sub

soil

Conserves 30-40% more soil moisture.

Roots proliferation is improved by 40-45%.

Nutrient mobility especially N & K increased by 20-

30% and 30-40%
Shallow Soils:

Parent rock immediately below the soil

surface at about of 15-20 cm depth.

This restricts the root elongation and

spreading.
 
209 sq.km and 384 sq.km in Salem
and North arcot districts .
 
Fluffy Soils:

Continuous submergence and intense

cultivation – Soil structure destroyed

Low BD, Mechanical Strength, poor

anchorage to plants
 
Situation further aggravated by stubble
incorporation
 
Fluffy Soils:

After the harvest of Rice, when the soil is

under semi-dry condition, compact the field
by passing 400 kg stone roller (or) an
empty tar drum filled with 400 kg of sand 8
times.
 
 Surface Crusting
Found in red soils of Trichy, Pudukottai, Ramnad and
Tirunelveli.

Colloidal oxides of iron and aluminium in alfisols

bind the soil particles under wet regimes. On drying it
forms a hard mass on the surface.

It prevents germination of seeds; inhibits root growth

poor infiltration, accelerates surface runoff, poor
aeration, affects nodule formation in leguminous
crops.
 Surface Crusting
Plough the soil at optimum moisture and apply lime 2
t/ha and plough again

Apply FYM or CPC 10 t/ha to improve soil physical

properties

Scraping surface soil by tooth harrow will be useful.

Sprinkling water at periodical intervals may be done

wherever possible.