Leaching and Water-Type Effects on Ground-Water Quality

Increased irrigation efficiency usually reduces the degradation of groundwater resources. The effect of differences of travel times in the unsaturated zone between low and high leaching becomes more important as the depth to the groundwater table increases. Waters approaching gypsum saturation have a much greater potential for ground-water degradation at high leaching as compared to low leaching irrigation management. This is due to higher salt concentrations and, consequently, increased gypsum precipitation in the unsaturated zone in the case of low leaching.