DEPARTMENT ol the INTERIOR
•
news release
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION - . - ~ ~ / , ; • , t ; , , }/ W: tt - 343-4662 For Release to Al's May 20, ~y-- /' ~ , ..,,,
"REMOVAL OF SALINE WATER FROM A UIFE SUBJECT OF NEW PUBLICATION UREAU OF RECLAMATION
The Bureau of Reclamation announced today publication of a new water resources technical publication on "Removal of Saline Water from Aquifers," with data that are expected to be of great value in irrigation and drainage planning.
The 43-page document, identified as Research Report No. 13, was written by Enos J. Carlson of the Hydraulics Branch, Division of Research, Office of Chief Engineer. It reports on extensive research at Reclamation's Engineering and Research Center on the salinity problems which frequently result from the removal of surplus ground water from irrigated lands through tile drains •
The project concluded that sweet water will be discharged if saline water is first flushed from the aquifer and a stable interface or barrier formed beneath the fresh and remaining stagnant water. Tile drains placed near the surface of the aquifer will not intercept and discharge fresh irrigation water if all or part of the aquifer above a stable interface is saline. A formula for computing the depth to a saline water-fresh water interface was developed and is reported in the publication.
In their studies the Reclamation engineers built a 1:40 scale model of an idealized cross-section of a typical irrigated valley. Tile drains were placed 8 feet below the gravel surface, and irrigation water was applied at regular intervals. Water discharging from the drains was sampled for
salinity and measured to determine rate of flow.
The research report is available at 35 cents per copy from the U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.
