Soil Survey and Land Evaluation For Planning, Design and Management of Irrigation Districts
Soil Survey and Land Evaluation For Planning, Design and Management of Irrigation Districts
Soil Survey and Land Evaluation For Planning, Design and Management of Irrigation Districts
irrigation districts
Martínez Beltrán J.
Zaragoza : CIHEAM
Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes; n. 1(2)
1993
pages 179-194
http://www.ciheam.org/
http://om.ciheam.org/
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
J. MARTINEZ BELTRAN
INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE REFORMA
Y DESARROLLO AGRARIO (IRYDA)
MADRID
SPAIN
SUMMARY - To achieve a sustainable agriculture in irrigated lands irrigation and drainage projects
must be soundly planned and designed. In lhese planning and design phases soil surveys are essential
to assess the irrigation suitability of the lands of new projects or for land reclamation purposes in
rehabilitation projects. These surveys are sequential: by means of exploratory surveys an inventory of
land resources can be achieved; through reconnaissance surveys and semi-detailed studies irrigation
suitability can be assessed; finally, detailed soil surveys are applied for irrigation and drainage design
purposes.
RESUME - En vue dune agriculture durable dans les terres irriguées, les projets d'irrigation et de
drainage doivent être planifiés et conçus de façon très rationnelle.lors de ces phases de planification
et de conception, les étudesde sol sont essentielles afin dévaluer la viabilité de l'irrigation dansces
terres faisant l'objetde nouveaux projetsou d'interventions de mise en valeur des terres dans le cadre
de projets d'assainissement. Ces études sont séquentielles ;un inventaire des ressources foncières
peut être dressé à l'aide détudes préliminaire ;la viabilité de l'irrigation peut être évaluée par des
études de reconnaissance et semidétaillées ;et finalement, des analyses détaillées du sol sont requises
pour la conception de systèmes d'irrigation et de drainage.
Introduction
Land reclamation by meansof irrigation and drainage has contributed to rural development through
an increase of land productivity and farmers income.
In arid and semi-arid regions irrigation makes agriculture possiblein areas otherwise unproductive
and unpopulated due to their unfavourable natural conditions. In temperate regions complementary
irrigation maintains regular production during the dry season.
In temperate humid regions land drainage has been an efficient mean for increasing crop production
and to decrease farming costs. In irrigated lands agricultural drainage is indispensable to avoid the
permanent hazard of waterlogging and salinization; in fact, approximately half of the 280 Mha of
irrigated lands in the world need agricultural drainage (Lesaffre, 1990).
The importance of irrigation and drainage in the Mediterranean region can be remarked with some
figures from Spanish agricultural statistics: the
irrigated area, which nowadays amounts to
3.2 Mha and
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15% of the total arable land, providedin 19.8850% of the total agricultural output (González Ferrando,
1988). That means productivity of irrigated agriculture is six times thatof rainfed farming, even though
not all irrigated lands have already reached their potential production. Similar figures come from the
USA where 25% of the value of ali crops produced comes from 24 Mha of irrigated lands, which are
some 10% of the land farmed (Van Schilfgaarde, 1990).
Meanwhile, many developing countries are becoming food importers, whilst they were self sufficient
in the past. This is due to the fact
that the rate of growth in acreage under irrigation has dropped
in the
last decade, whereas population is increasing rapidly. In the period 1980-85 the world average percent
growth has been only 8%, when in the seventies was (Albertson and Bouwer, 1992).
Therefore, irrigation and drainage projects, if soundly planned and constructed, are fundamental
to
ensure crop production in arid and semi-arid regions and a very important way to maintain a regular
production in temperate areas.
However, deficient irrigation and drainage projects may have negative effects to the environment
throughdeterioration of natural resources: soil lossesdue t o erosionderivedfrompoorwater
management, waterlogging andsoil salinization because insufficient drainage and deteriorationof the
quality of the surface water and groundwater, due to the salinization and pollutionof the drainage water
by agricultural chemicals or by mobilization of toxic elements from the soil. These inconveniences
sometimes make a conflict between irrigation development and environment preservation.
Therefore, future increasesin food production to supply a growing population must result from new
irrigation projects technically and environmentally well planned. However, since new land suitable for
irrigation and water of good quality are scarce resources rehabilitation of irrigated projects, through
modernization of the irrigation systems, efficient water management and reclamation of waterlogged
and salt affected lands, must be an urgent need to achieve a sustainable agriculture.
To achieve these goals, soil surveys are essential in the planning and design stages of irrigation
projects,eitherforlandevaluationtoassesstheirrigationsuitabilityofnewlands,orforland
reclamation to achieve sustainabilityin rehabilitation projects. These studies are sequential and cover
awiderangeofpurposesandlevels of intensity:exploratorysurveysfortheinventory of land
resources, reconnaissance surveys for land classification to assess the feasibility of new irrigation
projects or to identify problemareas in irrigated landsand detailed surveysfordesignand
implementation of new irrigation schemes and for the rehabilitation of irrigated areas.
The aim of this paper is to present the soil survey methods applied by LRYDA in Spain, and to
discuss'their possibilitiesof application in other countries of the Mediterranean region. These methods
aredescribed in detail in thespecific text oftheInternationalCourseonIrrigationandDrainage
(Bardají, 1991).
Purpose
Predictionofwaterdemandisamaintopictotakeintoaccount in hydrologicalplanning. To
determine the present demandof irrigation water in a river basin, geographic information on the actual
land use is needed in addition to knowledge on crop irrigation requirements. However, to assess the
future demand of irrigation water, potential areas for irrigation development must be established. To
identify those lands with irrigation suitability it is needed to carry out an inventory of land resources.
With this purpose IRYDA has carried out a soil survey in the Tajo basin for the inventory of lands
suitable for irrigation, as a basic contribution for the formulation of the Basin Hydrologic Plan.
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Methods
This study consistedof two parts: first an exploratory soil survey of the river basin to map the great
landsystemsatscale 1:400,000 toidentifytheareaspotentiallysuitableforirrigation;thena
reconnaissance soil survey at scale1:200,000to subdivide the land systems into geomorphologic units
to evaluate finally the land suitability for irrigation on those areas without previous soil information.
The exploratorysoil survey began with a photointerpretation study on available aerial prints at scale
1:70,000, although 1 :l 00,000 photographs are more convenient. Once the geomorphologic units were
identified and gatheredin geomorphologic subsystems and systems, they were checked by means of
field itineraries to map the main soil associations and to obtain the main land systems. The land system
is an area with a recurring pattern of topography, soils and vegetation, and with a relatively uniform
climate (Dent and Young, 1981). These systems are groups of land units geomorphologically and
geographically associated in such a fashion that can be easily distinguished in the landscape. In this
way the river basin is subdivided into a reasonable number of units which can be systematically studied.
The irrigation suitability of these subsystems and systems was evaluated taking into account the
climaticcharacteristicsrelatedtothealtitudeandthesoilcharacteristicsrelated to landqualities
affecting irrigation.
In those areas with irrigation potential, land suitability for irrigation was evaluated by applying the
USBR classification, according to the soil, topography, drainage and climatic characteristics. Thus land
classes were obtained and land classes associations where apart from the dominant class other class
covers an area greater than 30% of the mapped unit (IRYDA, 1992).
The Tajo river basin is situated in central and western Spain and covers in Spanish territory an area
of 37,210 km'. In Fig. 1, it can be observed a northern fringeof mountains with acid plutonic rocks, an
eastern border with calcareous mountains and again southern mountains with Siluric formations. In the
eastern andcentral part of the basin, calcareous plains and denudational slopes and hills occur. In the
west, sandstone and shale peneplains can be found. Piedmonts contact the mountains and the detritic
formations. Finally, the Tajo river and its tributaries have formed units of fluvial origin.
In Table 1 the climatic and soil limitations of each subsystem are shown. From these limitations a
general approach of the land suitability of each mappingunit can be achieved: the mountainous border
has a marked forestry suitability meanwhile the plains and fluvial units have a clearly agricultural
suitability. The hills and peneplains have a joint grazing and forestry suitability.
In Fig. 2 a reduced and simplified 1:200,000 map of a part of the basin is shown. In this map a
detailed division of the land subsystems into geomorphologic units can be observed.
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severely dissected, have good irrigation suitability. The lands of the peneplains are not suitable for
irrigation, due to severe soil limitations, although their climatic characteristics are favourable. fluvial
The
systems and the lands of the plateaus are suitable for irrigation; in fact, a great part of these systems
are currently irrigated lands.
A general conclusion on the usefulnessof this study can be derived:it is a helpful tool to separate
areas clearly unsuitable for irrigation. If the mapof Fig. 2 is superimposed on a map where the lands
irrigated atthepresenttimearelocalized,aninventory of. the potential irrigablelandcan be
accomplished. Those identified areas lacking sufficient soil information can be mapped by means of
more detailed soil surveys, as it is described in the following paragraph.
Purposes
Soil surveys forirrigation suitability assessment are carried out previously to feasibility studies
in the
planning stageof new irrigation projects with two purposes: to delimitate the project area and to supply
basic information on crop requirements, suitable irrigation method, drainage requirements and other
soil improvement techniques.
In rehabilitation projects of irrigated lands, besides the modernizationof the irrigation systems, two
main objectives are commonly considered: to improve field irrigation management, by reducing surface
run-off and deep percolation, to save water and reduce the negative environmental impacts of irrigation,
and to reclaim waterlogged and salt affected soils.In both instances adetailed soil mapping is required.
In the first case, field irrigation evaluationsmustbeperformed in eachrelevant soil unit.Ifland
reclamationisthemainpurpose,thoseareasaffectedbywaterloggingandsalinitymust be
differentiated from those lands with good drainage conditions andsalt free.
Methods
In these land evaluation studiesIRYDA applies the FAO guidelines for soil survey investigations for
irrigationand for land evaluation for irrigated agriculture
(FAO, 1979 and 1985). The procedure consists
of three phases: soil survey, soil survey interpretation and land classification by means of the USBR
system (USBR, 1953).
In the first phase the physiographic approach (Veenenbos, 1972) is applied. This approach starts
withaphotointerpretationstudytodelimitthegeomorphologicunitsofthestudiedarea.Field
observations are made to describe those soil characteristics which affect land qualities relevant
for crop
growing, water movement through the soilprofile and other qualities related to irrigation, drainage and
soil improvement techniques.
This approach has been successfully applied in Spain during the last 20 years because the soil
maps obtained are easily understood by irrigation and drainage engineers, who are not generally
familiarwithgeneticandmorphometric soil classifications.Besides,withrelativelycheap field
observationstherequiredintensity of thesurveyisreached,oncetherelationshipbetweenthe
landscape units and the soil characteristics is established. This method is particularly suitable in land
reclamation projects, since a close relationship exists between geomorphology and drainage conditions.
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U
Q Q
.-m .-
.L
m
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W
W W
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Table 1. Limitations and land suitability of the units of the land system map (IRYDA, 1992).
-
Systems Subsvstems Code Climatic limitations Soil limitations Land suitability
-
Mountains Undifferentiated M Very high Very high Forestry
Hill systems Piedmont formations CP Very variable High-moderately high Forestry and grassland
Accumulative systems Rañas AR Moderately high High-medium Forestry and arable land
Fluvial systems Valleys and fans F Medium-very low Very low Arable land
However, this approach has some disadvantage as it is the difficulty of comparison of soils of
different areas. This drawback can be overcome by the rnorphometric description of a representative
soil profile of each mapping unit.
To obtain the geomorphologic map the ITC classification system is also used (Van Zuidam, 1985-
86). On this map the field workis based. Therefore, it is possible
to intensify field observationsin those
units more relevant to the study purpose, decreasing the intensity in those area with less suitability.
After completing field work and laboratory analysis the soil map is designed. The soil map legend
is formulated by using the formulaof the Soil Conservation Serviceof California (USDA, 1957). In this
formula soil hydrologic qualities related to land drainage have been added (Fig. 3).
In Table 3 the intervals used in the soil mapping of the Muga irrigation project (Fig. 6) are shown.
By means of the soil survey interpretation the draft mapof land classes is obtained. IRYDA applies
the USER land classification system since the sixties. In this system six classes are distinguished
accordingtotheirsuitabilitylevel.Eachclasscan be subdividedintosubclassesbecausesoil,
topography and drainage limitations. For each subclass different management units can be defined; in
the irrigation development plan these units will have an specific land and water management treatment.
In thelandclassesmapeachmanagementunit is describedbyaformuladescribingitsmain
characteristics (Fig. 4).
Toformulatelandclassificationcriteriaarelationshipbetweensoil,topographyanddrainage
characteristicsandeconomicfactorsmust be established,mainly if thepurposeistoobtaina
quantitative land classification. To determine this relationship irrigated districts with similar soils must
be checked. If that is not possible only a qualitative approach can be achieved.
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LEGEND O F G E O M O R P H O L O G I CU N I T S MAP
SUBSYSTEM
SYSTEM
LAND GEOMORPHOLOGIC
UNITS
system
Central
Mountains M o u n t a i n sa n dh i l l s
Toledomountains M o u n t a i n sa n dh i l l s
Hills Piedmonts Slopesandhills
Slopes
--.. . .... . . ..r.-
A c c u m uC
l aeftoni vrtm
reahaS
litlali on
s pn
des s -.>-~-~~~>&.;;~.
z:. ...X 2;:
systemsGreatfans I n aacltlfiuavvneisa l -.
.. =<
Footslopes
Accumulative
covers -_
:--
.
r .
-.......
:%m~FB3:~;jpE~s
I ._...I,
.
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186
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SURFACE
STONINESS
SOIL EFFECTIVE
DEPTH
CONDUCTMTY
THE IMPERVIOUS BARRIER
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LAND CLASSES
1 High suitability
2 Medium suitability
3 Low suitability
4 Special suitability LIMITATIONS
6 Non suitable soil, topography,
drainage
ulture
ulture
PRESENTIANDUSE
- Irrigated
- Rainfed / SUBSURFACE
REQUIREMENTS
3 Low
COSTS
1 Low
2 Medium
3 High
The project area is situated in the lower Muga valley close to the Mediterranean coast. In the
geomorphologic map (Fig.5) it can be observed the flood plain of the Muga river -with its fluvial levees,
backswamps and transition- fluvial terraces, and other minorofunits fluvial origin, plus the tidal flat and
other units of denudational origin.
Soil mapping (Fig. 6 ) was mainly focused to assess land drainability and soil moisture availability,
which depends of soil effective depth and soil texture. Therefore, these characteristics have been
remarked in the soil map legend. As far as the first land quality is concerned soils requiring artificial
land drainage havebeen mapped apart from soils with good natural drainage. Taking into account soil
moisture availability, crops and
irrigation methodsthe sites for field irrigation evaluations were located.
The soil units map shows thatonly the soils of backswamps and transitions of the flood plain, the
soils of the tidal flat and small swamps have restricted drainage.
In Fig. 7 the land classes map isshown, whose legend describes the different land subclasses and
managementunits.Only2dand3sdsubclasses-needsubsurfacedrainagetocontrolashallow
groundwater table, which is the origin of waterlogging and salinization.
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UNIT % I COD
-
r 6
1 2
c 2 Low
t 2
l 2
! 2
1 2
< 2
and
small
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Sca e
o 1 2 3 4km'
-
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We1 GE I 3 4 4 AR(W0,,,2)
A DK
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A - "
2GIM33--M0
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l i 2 (GE/GI> l 4 5 GRU0
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2GZ I 4 5 5 G R
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soils Is A -
I I G0 <I/M) 3 3 4 AR
A KI
S i G0 CI/h) 3 3 3 AC
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A
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sil soils A DI
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clay A DE -
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(112) GI 33 3 -
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Sea I e
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- ICX No 3858 21.2
-
CI ICX +
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-LTïÏCx t
191
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
l '
m Loam-Sandy
Mugueta
levee loam Loamy s a n d 2.0 3.0 Clay 1.5
Sand-loamy
Mugueta
loam
transition
sand
Silty 2.0 2.6 Siity clay 0.9 5011.3
(gley)
tg Backswamp cla Silty
Silty clay 2.0 clay Silty 0.5 3011.3
(Pseudgrey) 2.0 ( g ley)
Itl;-dtry:;f\on Silty-clay
clay Silty 3.0 1.6 clay silty
(gley) 1.1 3011.3
4 Groundwater
flow
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CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
Purposes
At detail level soil mapping has two purposes: to delineate more accurately the soil units mapped
in previous surveys and to measure hydrologic soil qualities relevant for the design of the irrigation and
drainage systems, namely moisture availability, infiltration rate, the thickness
of the pervious soil profile
up to the impervious barrier, and the hydraulic conductivityand drainable pore space of the different
layers of the soil profile.
Following on with the Muga case study, once the problem areas were identified in the map (Fig. 7),
the waterlogged and salt affected soils were mapped in detail, as a source information to design the
drainage system.
Methods
The physiographic approach (Veenenbos, is also applied in the soilsurvey phase. Therefore,
after completing the geomorphology map andfield work a soil map comprehendingsoil data relevant
for drainage design is obtained.
For drainage design purposes besides a detailed soil survey a hydrologic study is needed, to
determine the groundwater flowin the project and surroundingareas. The mapping scale varies from
of the projectarea. The groundwater map
0,000 to 1 :5,000 according to the extent is designed once
hydraulic head data from the aquifer have been obtained by means of piezometer recording.
In the land classesmap ofthe Muga project management units in need of subsurface drainage were
identified. Oneof these problem areas is SectorIV of the irrigation district.
The detailed soil map of Sector IV is shown in Fig. 8 , where it can be observed that drainage
conditions and landqualitiesaredifferent in eachmappingunit. In thesoil map legenddifferent
intervals of depth to the groundwater table, average hydraulic conductivity and depth
to the impervious
barrier are described.
In addition the groundwater flowmap has been superimposed. It can be observed that the soilsof
the river levee are better drained and transmit water, through the transition unit, towards the soils of
the backswamp, which have the poorest drainage conditions.
References
ALBERTSON, M.L. and BOUWER, H. Future of irrigation in balanced third world development.
Agricultural Water Management, 21: 33-44, Elsevier, Amsterdam.
CIHEAM - Options Mediterraneennes
BARDAJí, J. (1991): Aptitud de. tierras para riego. Lecciones del V Curso Internacional de Riego y
Drenaje. Centro Nacional de Tecnología de Regadíos (CENTER), Madrid.
DENT, D. and YOUNG, A. (1981): Soil survey and land evaluation. George Allen & Unwin, London.
FAO (1979): Soil survey investigations for irrigation. Soils Bulletin nE 42, Rome.
FAO (1985): Guidelines: land evaluation for irrigated agriculture. Soils Bulletin nQ 55, Rome.
GONZÁLEZ FERRANDOJS. (1988): Estado actual y perspectivas del regadío en España. 1 Seminario
Luso-Español de Riego, Drenaje y Concentración Parcelaria, Elvas, Portugal. Editado por IRYDA,
Madrid.
IRYDA (1989): Evaluación de tierras para regadío de la zona regable del Muga, Gerona. Madrid.
IRYDA (1989 a): Informe previo del proyecto de drenaje del Sector IV de la zona regable del Muga,
Gerona. Madrid.
IRYDA (1992 b): Estudio exploratorio y reconocimiento de suelos de la cuenca del Tajo. Madrid.
USDA (1957): Guide for preparing soil survey legends. Soil Conservation Service of California, United
States Department of Agriculture.
VAN SCHILFGAARDE, J. (1990): The future of irrigated agriculture: is it sustainable? In: Agricultural
Salinity Assessment and Management. Tanji, (ed.). American Societyof Civil Engineers (ASCE),
New York.
VANZUIDAM,R.A.(1985-86):Aerialphotointerpretation in terrainanalysisandgeomorphology
mapping. International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Air Sciences (ITC). Smits Publisher, The
Hague, The Netherlands.
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