Water management practices can affect salinity in rice fields

The 470,000 acres planted to rice in California in 2001 are continually flooded. Water management in this cropping system can directly affect salinity, which in turn affects this sensitive crop. Salinity patterns were monitored in Colusa and Glenn county rice fields to identify differences between basins and between irrigation systems. The fields with higher soil salinity and irrigated with water high in salinity (e.g., nondistrict sources of combined well and drain water) had the highest indication of salinity damage. Salinity can also increase in bottom basins when water is held for longer periods of time. Both conventional and static irrigation systems can contribute to salinity.