SOIL AND GROUNDWATER SALINIZATION BENEATH DIVERSIFIED IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE

Evaluation of salinization of ground water in an area of diverse irrigation agriculture requires a field-scale approach. Data reduction methods are suggested and illustrated that relate four crop classes (no crop, grapes, row and truck crops, and orchards) to magnitudes and variabilities in soil salinity to a depth of 6.1 m, and evaluate relative importance of the crop classes as contributors to soil salinity. Data on soil salinity were used to obtain a projected ground-water salinity probability curve. The ground-water salinity probability curve based on domestic water well sampling over a 3-year period compared favorably with the projected curve.