Hydropedology (Stratigraphy & Geomorphology) of Salinity and Evaporites

.

RATIONALE

DISSOLUTION, TRANSPORT, AND ACCUMULATION OF IONIC CONSTITUENTS OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND BY SPECIFIC GEOMORPHIC AND CHEMICAL FLOW PRINCIPLES.

THE ACCUMULATION OF SALTS RESULT IN LOSS OF PLANT PRODUCTIVITY AND IS ONE FORM OF DESERTIFICATION.

SALINITY AND SODICITY, THEREFORE, IMPACT SOIL PRODUCTIVITY, QUALITY, AND BEHAVIOR, WHICH IN TURN IMPACTS SOIL SURVEY CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION.

5/4/20121 - module 18

OBJECTIVES

• Participants will explain and diagram natural salinization based landscape features and saturated, matric, and osmotic water flow conditions.

• Participants will be able to diagrammically sequence salinization using the Hardie-Eugster Closed Basin Brine Model.

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ARTESIAN FLOW

Black HillsRECHARGE

LincolnDISCHARGE

Ground Surface

Dakota Sandstone

360 MILES

DAKOTA SANDSTONE is a Cretaceous aged marine sediment.Like nearly all marine sediments, NaCl is present. Source of soil salts frequently is the parent material.

Soluble salts are translocated by saturated flow to discharge sitesand concentrated (accumulate) by matric flow (capillarity). Plantdamage is by osmotic flow or lack of flow to plant cells.

g

m

Evapotranspiration

Precipitation& Infiltration

THROUGHFLOW

Grand Forks

3

Gosselin DC, HF Edwin, and CO Frost. 2001; Gerla, P.J. 2004

MATRIC FLOW (Capillarity)

SOIL HORIZONS Calcic Horizon BkgMATRIC FLOW (Capillarity)

SOIL HORIZONS Calcic Horizon Bkg

MollisolCalciaquoll

ET>I

Bk Calcic Horizon

BkgGley-calcic

Mollic SurfaceDRY

m g

windEVAPOTRANSPIRATION

Dry

Wet

m

4

Moisture Profile

Root Zone

Water Table

Critical Depth

Water Table BELOW Critical DepthC

atio

ns

An

ion

s

Capillary Fringe

Salt Profile

NONSALINE

5

Capillary Fringe

Root Zone

Water Table Critical Depth

Cations Anions

Water Table above Critical Depth

BAD NEWS

Bkyzg

6

Salt ProfileMoisture Profile

Personal comm.A. Maianu

SeepAquifer coal seam

Recharge

Coal Seam Seep

JAROSITE - a bright yellow mineral KFe3(III)(SO4)2(OH)6

often occurs at reflow sites (seeps). Forms in acid sulfateconditions - pH levels below 4.0. Occurs in acid minedrainage in large amounts called “yellow boy”.

BE ALERT FOR JAROSITE NEAR BLACK SHALES!

Sulfate SulfideLow pH High pH 7

OCCURS IN WETLANDS WITHWET AND DRY CONDITIONS

Aquitard underclay

Hydrostatic Pressure Hydrostatic Pressure SeepSeep

Hydrostatic Pressure Hydrostatic Pressure SeepSeep

SALINE &SODIC SALINE

SODIC

AQUIFER

SHALE LANGDON, ND LANDSCAPE550m

8

sand lens

Till

piezometer

piezometric surface

RechargePothole

FlowthroughPothole

Seep

Seep

DischargePothole

TILLHigher Hydraulic Conductivity

Near the Soil Surface

Glacial Depression Glacial Depression Seeps inSeeps in

Sub-humid & Semi-aridSub-humid & Semi-aridClimatesClimates

9

After Lissey 1971

LANDSCAPE SALINITYLANDSCAPE SALINITYLANDSCAPE SALINITYLANDSCAPE SALINITY

PONDS AND CAPILLARY Or MATRIC FLOW

SALTS (precipitates)

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SALTS ARE PRECIPITATED IN SALTS ARE PRECIPITATED IN SEQUENCE FROM LEAST TO SEQUENCE FROM LEAST TO

MOST SOLUBLEMOST SOLUBLE• Calcite forms.Calcite forms.

• If Ca > carbonate, gypsum forms;If Ca > carbonate, gypsum forms;• If Ca < carbonate then pH exceeds If Ca < carbonate then pH exceeds

8.5, usually. And sodium carbonate 8.5, usually. And sodium carbonate minerals form; proto-dolomite has minerals form; proto-dolomite has been reported. been reported. (Ca>1Mg<1)(CO(Ca>1Mg<1)(CO33))22

• In gypsum sequence, sulfate salts are In gypsum sequence, sulfate salts are most common in saline soils.most common in saline soils. 11

Eugster – Hardie model 1970

CHEMICAL DIVIDESCHEMICAL DIVIDES

CaSO4

SO4Ca

CaCO3

Proto-dolomite (Ca>1Mg<1)(CO(Ca>1Mg<1)(CO33))22

High pH SodaSalts

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HIGH CA HIGH CARBONATE

CHEMICAL DIVIDESCHEMICAL DIVIDEStypical Ground Water Effects typical Ground Water Effects

for North Dakota Ca<SOfor North Dakota Ca<SO44

CHEMICAL DIVIDESCHEMICAL DIVIDEStypical Ground Water Effects typical Ground Water Effects

for North Dakota Ca<SOfor North Dakota Ca<SO44

Conc.Mmols/L

EC(dS/m)

Sulfatic Water SOSO44

Ca SOCa SO4 4 pptppt

Arndt & Richardson 1989

CaCa

413

CHEMICAL DIVIDESCHEMICAL DIVIDEStypical Ground Water Effects typical Ground Water Effects

for North Dakota Ca<SOfor North Dakota Ca<SO44

CaCa

NaNaMgMg

Conc.Mmols/L

EC(dS/m)

Sulfatic Water

Arndt & Richardson 1989414

CHEMICAL DIVIDESCHEMICAL DIVIDES

CaCa

COCO33

RelativeAmount

EC mmols/cmEC mmols/cm15

Dessication

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

• Even in landscapes with ground water Even in landscapes with ground water throughflow, the Hardie-Eugster throughflow, the Hardie-Eugster chemical divides system explains the chemical divides system explains the evaporite sequence and ion solution evaporite sequence and ion solution concentration.concentration.

• Soil salinity in the mid-continent should Soil salinity in the mid-continent should be explained in terms of such an be explained in terms of such an evaporite sequence if possible.evaporite sequence if possible.

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CHEMICAL DIVIDESCHEMICAL DIVIDES22ndnd Step Sandy Soils in ND Step Sandy Soils in ND

and in Warm Climates Ca<COand in Warm Climates Ca<CO33

Horizon Depth pH Clay CO3 EC(cm) % Clay % dS/m

A 0-21 8.3 16 2 2Btn 21-43 8.9 47 42 6Bk 43-75 9.0 40 39 7Cg 75-150 9.1 8 6 5.8

*Bk is proto-dolomite (Ca>1Mg<1)(CO(Ca>1Mg<1)(CO33))2217

Humdinger data

? QUESTIONS

1. Diagram and explain translocation and accumulation of soluble salts by water flow characteristics.

2. Diagram and explain the Hardie & Eugster evaporite sequence.

3. Diagram and explain the profile salt accumulation of secondary salinization.

18This is part of the Humdinger Exam ..

EBtn pH 9.1

Bk50% clay

THE STUDENT WILL DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SOIL, ESPECIALLY FOCUS ON THE WATER DYNAMICS.STIRUM: COARSE-LOAMY, MIXED, SUPERACTIVE, FRIGID TYPIC NATRAQUOLL

2Cg 94% sand

OUTWASH TERRACE; HIGH WATER TABLE EVERY SPRING; OUTWASH TERRACE; HIGH WATER TABLE EVERY SPRING; 94% SAND OR COARSER, HIGH SODIUM & pH; white Bk is 94% SAND OR COARSER, HIGH SODIUM & pH; white Bk is

Protodolomite; note the Btn horizon. Protodolomite; note the Btn horizon.

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SODICITY SODICITY

• 1. Add SODIUM

• 2. SOIL AGGREGATES harden dry.They are stronger dry than Ca types.

• 3. Soils expand more with sodium ions wet.They are more plastic and weaker wet than Ca exchange ions.

• 4. Erodibility and crusting are increase with sodium ions. Tilth of the soil is remarkable poor.

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CHEMICAL REACTIONSCHEMICAL REACTIONS SODIUM EXCHANGE SODIUM EXCHANGE

RECLAMATION RECLAMATION

CHEMICAL REACTIONSCHEMICAL REACTIONS SODIUM EXCHANGE SODIUM EXCHANGE

RECLAMATION RECLAMATION

Na2SO4 + Ca

+ CaSO4

Na Na

CaCl2 +

Na Na Ca+ 2NaCl

SODIUM EXCHANGESODIUM EXCHANGE

RECLAMATIONRECLAMATION21

END TO FACE END TO FACE FLOCCULATIONFLOCCULATIONEND TO FACE END TO FACE

FLOCCULATIONFLOCCULATION

++

++

++++----------- --------------------

NEGATIVE

POSITIVE

OPEN AGGREGATION

Non-Dispersed22

Dispersed ClaysDispersed ClaysFACE to FACEFACE to FACE

Loose SLICK Packing Wet (Weak)Dense Packing Dry (Strong)

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REFERENCES USED

• Arndt, J.L. and J.L. Richardson. 1989. Geochemical development of hydric soil salinity in a North Dakota prairie-pothole wetland system. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:848-855.

• Hardie, L.A. and H.P. Eugster.1970. The evolution of closed-basin brines. Mineral Soc. Am. Spec. Pap. 3:273-290.

• Keller, L. P., G. J. McCarthy, and J. L. Richardson. 1986. Mineralogy and stability of soil evaporites in North Dakota. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50:1069-1071.

• Knuteson, J. A., J. L. Richardson, D. D. Patterson, and L. Prunty. 1989. Pedogenic carbonates in a Calciaquoll associated with a recharge wetland. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:495-499.

• Maianu, A., J.L. Richardson, and P.G. Held. 1987. Salt accumulation in the groundwaters of North Dakota. ND Farm Research 45(2):12-18.

• Richardson, J.L. 2005. Soluble salts: Translocation and accumulation, pp 1664-1665. in Lal, R. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Soil Science, 2nd Edition, Volume 2. Taylor & Francis, NY.

• Skarie, R. L., J. L. Richardson, A. Maianu, and G. K. Clambey. 1986. Soil and groundwater salinity along drainage ditches in eastern North Dakota. J. Environ. Qual. 15:334-340.

• Steinwand, A.L. and J.L. Richardson. 1989. Gypsum occurrence in soils on the margin of semipermanent prairie pothole wetlands. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 53:836-842.

• Timpson, M. E. and J. L. Richardson. 1986. Ionic composition and distribution in saline seeps of southwestern North Dakota, USA. Geoderma 25:295-305.

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