| dc.description.abstract | Water and salt movement in a recharge- discharge
area was studied. Njukini formed the recharge area while
the discharge area was located in the Kimorigo/ Kamleza
irrigation scheme.
Relatioships were drawn between infiltration rates
density,
moisture.
texture, organic
KaRt, bulk
antecedent
and selected physical parameters namely;
Vertical Kast, first and third horizons'
horizontal KaRt, silt and antecedent moisture correlated
positively with infiltration rates. Clay and sand
fractions displayed a significant to very highly
significant negative correlation with infiltration
rates.
Similar relationships that were drawn between Kent
and the selected physical parameters indicated that
vertical KeRt correlated positively and significantly
with silt fraction across all treatments. Clay was
negatively and highly significantly related to vertical
KaRt. Latter and the vertical bulk density, sand,
antecedent water and organic matter correlated very
highly significantly and positively.
Groundwater quality in the recharge area had only a
permeability problem due to its'low soluble salt content
(EC was O.26-0.28dS/m).The quality of the groundwater in
the discharge area had all the irrigation water problems
that included salinity, permeability, specific ion
toxicity, and miscellaneous effects.
A salt leaching experiment carried out in the
discllarge area showed that about 49% of the soluble
salts were leached from the 0-10 em depth on application
of 12 em of water flood. Salt leaching was noted to be
an ineffec~ive way of reclamation.
Poor management irrigation water in both the
recharge and discharge areas encouraged the development
of the perilous saline seeps. This exacerbated the salt
problem by contributing as the reservoir for capillary
salinisation in the discharge area. | en |
