Soil Salinity Profile As Affected by Saline Shallow Water Table in Azadegan Plain, Khuzestan

Mismanagement of water in irrigated fields of Dasht-e-Azadegan (DA) in west of Khuzestan province، lower part of Karkheh river basin، with low slope and poor natural drainage، influences ground water table and also salinity of its adjacent soil profile، especially when the groundwater is saline. Such condition can contribute to reduction of crop yield and degradation of soil and water resources gradually in a long term period. The main objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the salinity of soil profile in saline-waterlogged area of Azadegan plain through field surveys، laboratory measurement، and data interpretation. For this purpose eighty ground water and soil profile samples were collected from DA during August 2007. Samples were analyzed for ECe and، finally، relationships between ground water and soil salinities (ECgw and ECe) of different depth intervals were interpreted. Results of the study indicated that shallow/saline ground water significantly influenced the salinity of adjacent soil layers and the effect increased with increase in soil depth. Additionally، a simple relationship was obtained for ECe vs. ECgw as ECe =0. 27ECgw+6. 27 (R2=0. 70).