Irrigation water for vegetation establishment

Abstract

This research project was conducted to evaluate the use of irrigation water to supplement precipitation during establishment of perennial forage plant communities on surface mined lands in the northern Great Plains. The treatments included precipitation and 9 combinations of various quantities of medium and low quality water applied to a clay loam topsoil replaced over a loam minespoil. We measured the response to the added water of a seeded forage species mixture, volunteer weeds, and changes in salinity and sodicity of the soil/spoil profile. All levels of irrigation, regardless of water quality, increased seeded species production, but decreased weed dry matter. One season of irrigation with medium or low quality water produced minimal changes in soil salinity and sodicity. Some increase in soil salinity and sodicity was observed when low quality water was added during the second season. Therefore, low quality water can be used beneficially to supplement precipitation for 1 or 2 seasons during the establishment of perennial plant communities on moderately permeable soil/spoil areas.