Showing papers by "Ajay Singh published in 2012"

Integrated Salt and Water Balance Modeling for the Management of Waterlogging and Salinization. I: Validation of SAHYSMOD

Abstract: Irrigated agriculture faces serious threats of waterlogging and soil salinization in the arid and semiarid regions of the world. In this paper, an integrated spatial-agro-hydro-salinity model (SAHYSMOD) was used to analyze water and salt balances of an irrigated semiarid area located in the Haryana State of India where the groundwater level is rising continuously. The calibration, validation, error analysis, and sensitivity analysis of the model parameters were performed. The sensitivity analysis revealed that hydraulic conductivity is the most sensitive model parameter for both groundwater levels and salinities, followed by effective porosity of the aquifer. The leaching efficiency of the soil is sensitive only to the groundwater salinities. The results show a good agreement between the simulated and observed groundwater levels and salinities for almost all the nodes during the calibration and validation periods. The results are also substantiated by the high R-squared values and low mean error (ME) and root mean square error (RMSE) values. On the basis of the results, it could be concluded that the SAHYSMOD performed very well in predicting groundwater levels and salinities during the calibration and validation periods.

Effect of saline irrigation water on mustard ( brassica juncea ) crop yield and soil salinity in a semi-arid area of north india

Abstract: The groundwater in some parts of north India is generally saline and not suitable for drinking. However, it can be used for growing salt-tolerant crop plants. To explore the potential of using saline groundwater for farm production, a field experiment was conducted at Shahpur village, near Hisar in Haryana State, India, to study the effect of different qualities of irrigation water on mustard (Brassica juncea, cv. RH–30) crop growth, yield, water use efficiency and soil salinity. Treatments consisted of combinations of irrigation with saline groundwater (electrical conductivity (EC) 7.48 dS m−1), and a good quality canal water (EC 0.4 dS m−1) applied either alone, as blends or in alternate applications. In all treatments, canal water was used for pre-sowing irrigation. In mustard cultivation, saline groundwater with an EC of 7.48 dS m−1 can be used safely to supplement all post-sowing irrigations with marginal decline in crop yield. Irrigation with saline groundwater gave a yield as high as 95% of the optimum crop yield obtained with fresh canal water. The temporal variation in salinity showed that mustard yield responds to the average salinity of the soil during the growing season. Thus saline groundwater is a good water source to exploit for supplemental irrigation.

Optimal Allocation of Resources for the Maximization of Net Agricultural Return

Abstract: Good quality soil and water resources are often limited in arid and semi-arid regions; however, poor quality groundwater can be used conjunctively with good quality canal water to fulfill crop water demand in these areas. In the present study, a linear programming model was developed for the optimal land and water resources allocation to maximize net annual returns from a command area located in Jhajjar district of Haryana, India. The water production functions were developed and incorporated in the model to estimate the crop yield under different qualities of irrigation water. A groundwater balance constraint was imposed on the model, which mitigated the waterlogging problems while making optimal use of land and water resources. The model results show a reduction in rice and mustard areas against an increase in cotton, sugarcane, and wheat under optimal conditions. Under the optimal land and water allocation the groundwater use increases, which in turn mitigates the waterlogging and salinity prob...

Waterlogging and farmland salinisation: causes and remedial measures in an irrigated semi‐arid region of india

Abstract: Waterlogging and secondary salinisation have become serious problems in canal irrigated areas of arid and semi-arid regions. This study examined hydrology and estimated the seasonal net groundwater recharge of an irrigated semi-arid region located in the Haryana State of India where about 500 000 ha area are waterlogged and unproductive, and the size of the waterlogged area is increasing, causing a threat to agricultural sustainability. Groundwater recharge analysis during the study period (1989– 2010) revealed that percolation from irrigated fields was the main recharge component, with 48% contributing to total recharge. An annual groundwater table rise of 0.198 m was estimated for the study area. Since the groundwater table had been rising continuously, suitable water management strategies such as as conjunctive use of groundwater and canal water and changes in crop patterns by reducing rice crop areas against of other low-water crops such as sorghum are suggested to bring the groundwater table down to a safe limit and prevent further rise of the groundwater table. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.