Soil Property Changes Following Irrigation With Coalbed Natural Gas Water: Role of Water Treatments, Soil Amendments and Land Suitability

Abstract

Saline‐sodic water is a by‐product of coalbed natural gas (CBNG) production in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, USA and is being beneficially used in places as irrigation water. This study evaluated effects of 2 years of natural precipitation on soil properties of a hay field after the cessation of managed irrigation with CBNG water. The hay field had been irrigated with only CBNG water [CBNG(NT)], CBNG water amended with gypsum [CBNG(G)] or gypsum plus sulfur via a sulfur burner [CBNG(GSB)] in combination with soil amendments—gypsum (+G), elemental sulfur (+S), and both (+GS). Results indicated that infiltration rates were the lowest on fields irrigated with CBNG(NT), followed by CBNG(G) and CBNG(NT)+G treatments (12·2, 13·2, and 13·5 cm h−1, respectively). The CBNG(GSB)+GS treatment had the highest infiltration rates (33·5 cm h−1). By the second year, salinity and sodicity of treated soils had decreased in the A‐horizon of most CBNG‐water irrigated plots, whereas in Bt1‐ and Bt2‐horizons salinity generally decreased but sodicity increased; S and GS soil amended plots had higher profile salinities compared with NT and G soil treatments. Although Na+ leaching was observed in all fields that received soil and/or water amendments, CBNG(GSB)+GS plots had the lowest sodicity in the A‐ and Bt1‐horizons. Effective managed irrigation requires knowledge of site‐specific soil properties, plant suitability, water chemistry, and amendments that would be needed to treat the CBNG waters and soils. This study indicates the greatest success was realized when using both soil and water amendments. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Salinity Management in Pima Cotton Fields Using Sulfur Burner

“…3). There is limited research on effects of S burner on soil chemistry, and available literature indicated that similar to the current study, application of S burner‐treated water increased the infiltration rate that resulted in reduced EC e and sodicity, especially in surface soils (Johnston et al, 2013). However, the maximum salinity and sodicity observed after 1 yr of irrigation with S burner‐treated (blended) water were still above the threshold.…”

Organic carbon, nutrient, and salt dynamics in saline soil and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) irrigated with treated municipal wastewater

“…Although sodicity (SAR) increased in the upper 45 cm, which covers the effective root zone of switchgrass in this study, the values were less than the sodic threshold of 13. However, even in the deeper depth (45–60 cm) soils that exceeded the threshold, no impairment in soil permeability was observed due to higher EC e values that helped to keep electrolyte concentration in the soil solution above the threshold electrolyte concentration (Johnston, Vance, & Ganjegunte, ). Toward the end of the study, solubilization and redistribution of native calcium minerals (calcite and gypsum) resulted in lowering of pH (G. Ganjegunte et al, ).…”

Adsorption, desorption and fractionation of As(V) on untreated and mussel shell-treated granitic material

“…In the last years, numerous studies have indicated that restoration needs to recover soil functionality, and this call is taking place all over the world (Ahmad et al, 2013;Johnston et al, 2013;Mao et al, 2014;Moreno et al, 2014;Novara et al, 2014;Roy and McDonald, 2015;Sacristán et al, 2015;Sadeghi et al, 2015;Srivastava et al, 2014). Some authors indicate that this task should be accomplished with a broad view by considering how soils can interfere with human health (Brevik and Sauer, 2015).…”