Watering or buffering? Runoff and sediment pollution control from furrow irrigated fields in arid environments

dc.contributor.authorCampo-Bescós, Miguel
dc.contributor.authorMuñoz Carpena, Rafael
dc.contributor.authorKiker, Gregory A.
dc.contributor.authorBodah, Brian W.
dc.contributor.authorUllman, Jeffrey L.
dc.contributor.departmentProyectos e Ingeniería Rurales_ES
dc.contributor.departmentLanda Ingeniaritza eta Proiektuakeu
dc.date.accessioned2019-02-25T15:49:39Z
dc.date.available2019-02-25T15:49:39Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractSurface irrigated agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions contributes to downstream environmental degradation. Changes in irrigation system operational scenarios (ISOS) can represent an economic alternative to reduce surface runoff impacts. At the same time the use of vegetative filter strips (VFS) can have a positive impact on the ecological health of rural landscapes by reducing erosion, improving water quality, increasing biodiversity, and expanding wildlife habitat. The goal of this paper is, using a combination of field data and mechanistic modeling results, to evaluate and compare the spatial effectiveness of improvements in ISOS and introduction of VFS to reduce surface runoff pollution in the semi-arid/arid furrow irrigation agroecosystem that exceeds current regulatory turbidity limits (25 NTU). Five main factor interactions were studied: four soil textures, two field slopes, three ISOS, six filter vegetation types, and ten filter lengths. Slope and runoff volume were identified as the two main drivers of sediment export from furrows. Shifting from current ISOS to less water consumptive irrigation practices reduce runoff in addition to sediment delivery to comply with environmental regulations. The implementation of 3 to 9 m vegetative buffers on experimental parcels were found to mitigate sediment delivery (greater than 90% sediment reduction) on tail drainage ditches but had limited effect in the reduction of runoff flow that can transport other dissolved pollutants. These findings were insensitive to filter vegetation type. Thus, introduction of improved ISOS is desirable while VFS may be targeted to specific hot spots within the irrigation district. This study shows that the adoption of dense vegetation buffers in vulnerable semi-arid irrigated regions can be effective to mitigate agricultural impacts and provide environmental protection. However, it should not be adopted as an alternative to proper on-site irrigation practices, rather as a complementary off-site pollution control practice.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThis study was funded through the USDA National Integrated Water Quality Program (NIWQP) under the grant entitled “Protecting Water Resources by Engaging Stakeholders in Targeted Implementation of Filter Strips” (Grant No. 2009-51130-06098). The authors wish to thank Elaine Brouillard (Roza-Sunnyside Board of Joint Control, Sunnyside, Washington) and R. Troy Peters (Washington State University)for their assistance in providing data and information on irrigation practicesen
dc.format.extent43 p.
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.agee.2015.03.010
dc.identifier.issn0167-8809
dc.identifier.urihttps://academica-e.unavarra.es/handle/2454/32411
dc.language.isoengen
dc.publisherElsevieren
dc.relation.ispartofAgriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 205 (2015) 90–101en
dc.relation.publisherversionhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.03.010
dc.rights© 2015 Elsevier B.V. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0en
dc.rights.accessRightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.subjectFurrow irrigationen
dc.subjectRill irrigationen
dc.subjectTotal suspended solidsen
dc.subjectVegetative filter stripsen
dc.subjectVFSMODen
dc.subjectWater managementen
dc.subjectHotspotsen
dc.subjectTargetingen
dc.subjectBest management practicesen
dc.titleWatering or buffering? Runoff and sediment pollution control from furrow irrigated fields in arid environmentsen
dc.typeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/article
dc.type.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
dspace.entity.typePublication
relation.isAuthorOfPublicatione9ca0d9f-24bc-4ce1-871f-81ce4e86b5bd
relation.isAuthorOfPublication152af0c2-c115-4074-9715-fdf5f8fa6837
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoverye9ca0d9f-24bc-4ce1-871f-81ce4e86b5bd

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