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Subsoil Waters of Newlands (Nev.) Field Stationageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/165017/2/tb533.pdf · 2017-04-01 · The Newlands reclamation project, within which the Newlands Field

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11111Ii 28 25 ~~ 111128 25 1111110 10 ll - = tJi

U 11111 32 ~~ ~11132 2 ~ lil36= ~l3 6 ~- ~W~ - ili_

IC h]1l t ~t2 L- OL_~ IIJ~

1 ~ 11 11 ~

1111118 1111118

111111 25 1111114 1111116 11111125 1111114_ 1111116

MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TEST CHART MICROCOPY RESOLUTION fEST CHAR r iA11ON1 HURtAU Of ltHNW~tYmiddotltlqb(middot

~ ~middoto s--

~ Technical Bulletin No 533 October 1936

UNITED STATES DEPARTh1ENT OF AGRICULTURE

WASHINGTON D C

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS (NEV) FIELD STATION

By CART S SCOFIELD princilal agriculturist in charge C LLOYD MOON senior scientific aide and Er~rER V KNfGUT assistant CI(lrOnomist and Sn7Jerintendent Division of Western Irrigation Agriculture Burectu of Plant Industry

Page PagaIntroduction_________________ ___ 1 Ihe wells of group 3_________________________ 17Description of tho nrcu ________ w_ ~ ~W_ ~~ ~ 2 Elevation of subsoil water_____ _________ 17rhe wells of group L __________ _ Quality of subsoil wnter __ bull ____ _______ 19

Elcution of subsoil wlllcr __ bull J rho wc1ls of group 4 ____ ____ _ ~ ~_____ 22 QUlliity of subsoil wnlcr_ __ __ 6 r~levnti)n of subsoil witter ~ M_ ~ _~ ~ ~ _ _ 22

The wells of group 2bullbullbull ________ 10 Qulllit~middotofsubsoil wu(er __ 21 Elovntioll of subsoil wutcr 11 rite wells of ftTOnp fL ___________ ~ _~ _~_ ___ 25 Qunlityofsubsoil wuler__ lJ I1II1itj of drainago willer _ _ iuln nlnr~middot _ _______________________ _~ _____ ~9

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this report is to discuss conditions in respect to the ~ ubsoil water that constitutes one of the features of the Inoblem of J ~rop production not only 011 tll Newlands Field Station but elseshyi 5vhere on the N cwlancls reclamation project rhis stf)tion was cstabshyi clished in 1906 by the Bureuu of Plant Industry in cooperation with

the United Stutes Rcclttmation Sen-rice (now the Bmcau of Ilcc]amashyC1tiOll United States Drpl1rtment of the In terior) and the N eyacla ~gricultul11 Experiment Station rhe station occupies 160 acres of z1lld being the northwest quttrter of see 5 T 18 N R 20 E 110tUlt --Diablo base nud meridian Jt is 1 mile south of Iilllloll N ey the

county seat of Chmchill County It hilS long been recof11izelti in connection with the agronomie work

at this station that the existence of a saturated ZOlle~ill the subsoil (a high water table) was OIle of tbe limiting factors in crop ])rod tletion Investigations concl uded prior to 1924 showed that the ]oot zone of the soil WIlS restricted irom below by this sutmated Z011e tlJld that the water of tbis satmllted zone of the subsoil middothiLe variable in snlinity frequently contaulcd excessiye concentrations of dissolyed snlts The present report deals chiefly with investigations inaugurated in 1930 which were planned to obiiain information concerning the winual or sellsonal il uctulLtion in the position of the water-saturated zone of the subsoil and the nature and concentmtion of the salinityof the snbsoil water

19~fCOFIELlJ C S Tm~rOE~E)T OP W~TEI I) 1ItIllOATU SOILS Jour Ir J(escllrch 27 O7-1l01 ilIus

i358Go-3G--l

2 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA

The Newlands reclamation project within which the Newlands Field Station is located occupieR a portion of the delta of the Oarson River The soil is predominantly sundy in texture but its profile includes lenses of fUle silt or clay In topography the Mea is a plane sloping gently f1Om west to east but tbe surface is TOugbened by nymerous small hillocks or sand dunes and by former channels of the nver

The irrigation supph- is obtained chiefly from Oarson River the flood waters of whi~h ale stored in Tlahontan Reservoir This supply is supplemented by water diverted from Truckee River through a canal that sU]Jplies some Df the higher lund along the western edge of the district and discharges into Lahontan Reservoir The main diversion for the canal system of the district js on Oarson River about 9 lliles below Lahontan Dam

The land of the N ewlands Field Station was in its natural condition rather lOugh with several low sand hills interspersed witb lower smooth areas of which the soil was badly deflocculated relatively impermeable to water and of low productivity With the progress of time the land has been leveled until now it is nearly all irrigable The surface slopes to the south aml east from the northwest corner of the tract Its elevation at the northwest corner is 3964 feet above sea level and at the southeast corner it is 3959 feet

One of the old flood chllnnels of Carson River lies a few hundred yards north of the station and formerly no doubt a part of the stashytion area was flooded from this channel One of the main irrigation canals of the district the L canal follows the north line of section 6 past the station from a 12-foot drop at the northwest corner Irrishygation water is diverted from the main canal above this drop to supply two laterals One of these the LC lateral runs south along the west line of the station and the other the OiC lateral runs east along the north line parallel to and south of the main canal A part of the irrigation supply for the station is diverted from the LC lateral but the major portion of it is taken from the CiG lateral at a gate located about 600 feet east of the northwest corner of the station (fig 1) Thus during the irrigation season from April to October there is a large volume of water in the main canal almost continuously and intermittently there is water at higher levels in one or both of the lateral canals All of these canals are unlined

The open LD drain approaches the station from the west This drain intersects the west line of the station near its center then runs south to the southwest corner thence east along the south line where it turns southeast and eventually discharges into Carson Lake The elevation middotof the surface of the water-satmated zone of the susoil on the station has been observed by means of wells These wells have been bored to suitahle depths with a soil augel and cased with galshyvanized-irtm pipes 3~ inches in diameter open at the bottom and perforated in the lower sections The tops of these well cllsings stand a foot or more above the ground surface and are covered ith a loose cap The elevation above sea level of each well top is determined and recorded 1he wtlter-table elovtltion is determined by mefLsuring the depth to water from the top of the well cllsingand subtracting that measurement from the elevation oftbe well top Eaeh well is

~

f

~

~

4

3 SUBSOIL W AlERS OF NEWLANDS STAION

pumped out at least once a month to insure that it communicates freely with the surrounding water In presenting the data of watcrshytable elevations the datum is set at 3950 feet above sea level

The observation wells used in this investigation are comprised in five groups The wells of each group were established for a specific investigation Group 1 (the boron-survey wells) includes 25 wells which are located to represent the whole station These wells are approinlately 600 feet apart euch way and are in five rows of five wells each Group 2 (in thc C series fig 1) includes 18 wells These

are located in an area south Mel west of the center of the station in two lines running from west to cast The wells in each line are 62 feet apart and the two lines mo 477 feet apart Group 3 includes 24 wells loct1ted nem the southwest corner of the station These wells are in two lines llIlluing frolll west to east The wells in each line aTe 85 ieet apnrt and the lines are 260 feet apart Group 4 includes 12 wells locilted nem the southeast cOrner of the station They UJe also in two lines like those of group 3 being 85 feet apart in the lines with the lines 244 reet npart Group 5 includes fom wells located in an undeveloped and unilligated portion of the station between the Y series and the LD drain

4 1ECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl m AGRICUVrURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 1

The wells of this group 25 in number were established in 1929 and 1930 chiefly as a means of obtaining information as to the salinity and boron content of the subsoil waters for the station as a whole Beginning vith Jumtary 1931 the depth to water has been measured in each of these wells each month iLlld at less fTequent intervals samshyples of the water have been taken for analysis After the measureshyment each well is ]mmpecl out to insme that it is functioning properly The wells of this group me mU11beled from 1 to 25 and are approxishymately 600 ieet apitrt each WHy (fig 1) Nos 1 to 5 make up the first line of wells running from west to eust parallel to nnel n short disshytance south 01 the north line of the station The seconclline nos 6 to 10 is 600 feet south of the first line and ench succeeding line is 600 feet fartber south Thus the data from wells of tbis group may be considcred as a vhole OJ subc1iyicieci into groups of five wells in each of fiye lines running either from west to enst or from north to south or the record of ench well may be considered indiYidually

TARLE l-illram(JcIIenl of the wells of (JIOll1) 1 Newland Field Station with the 4-lIeal mean elevation of the subsoil water at each well and the 4-year mean anmwl ran(le oj elevation

[Datum 3050 feet above senlevcl]

Well 110_____________________bull __bullbullbull ____ __ _bull I 2 3 4 5Mean clovlltion_~ ____ _ ~ n feel bull 70U DOO 548 576 571llcnn llUlluul rnnge _ ___ ~_ __ ~ ____ (1[L a() 315 317 347 4 (I

Well 110_ __ bull __ 6 i 8 9 10 lTcnll clc~nLioti __ middotriPl 7li8 086 nOg 570 540 ~lcau unllual runge ~ __ ~_d(J -~ l70 3 (1 332 341 382

Well no___ __ _ H 12 13 1-1 15 ATcnn elevutlonbullbull rmlL_ 725 iH 6middot13 570 484 llclln lluBunl rUllge ~ _ 10 230 388 270 314 317

Wollno _________ If 17 18 19 20 1fcnn clcvnliorL~ ___ r(J~L_ nm) G50 011 546 500 NICllU tlunuul rllllgc~_ ___ _~~~_dv __ 150 216 211 251 225

gt bullbull --- _ _shy

1I0Ilno_ _ 21 22 23 24 20 11011n clCyt1tiot1 _~ ~_ ~ M ~-~ -_-~- -~~_-_- ~r(ci D17 5(j3 483 409 403_ - _

I1leull unllunl rlllgo____ do ___ 1 Si un 96 19 L 19

The nrmngement of the wplls of glOUp 1 is shown in table 1 toshygethcr with SUJlUl1ari(s of the basic data as to tbe position and annual fluetuations of the sWIace of the subsoil wntel at each well The menn clevation represents the menn of monthly mcnSlUements during the 4-rcltl ]lcriod from Janullry 1031 to December 1034 TIle mean annunl range leprcsents the meilu of the sensonnl chnngc in level each yemfrom the lowpoint onate winter to the high point of thcfollowing SlUllnler

ELEVATION OF sunson WATER

DUTing tbe 4 years 1931-34 the mean elevution of the subsoil water as measllled in this group of 25 wells has been 595 fect aboye datmn Ci e ubove 3950 feet nbove sen level) The elevntion flucshytuates dUl-ing the year It is usually lowest in the late winter and highest cIUlingthe Cltrly SlU11Jncr rhe mean at11lunl range in elevashytion is 272 feet The monthly mean elevations for these 25 wells for 4 years haye rangeu from 406 feet III FebrutlTY to 731 feet nbove datum in July In this 4-year period tllCre have been two seasons of water shortage tIle SfltlsonS of 1931 aud1934 These water shortages have been reflected in the eleyation of the subsoil water The mean

5 SUBSOIl WAJERS OF NEWLANDS STATmN

annual elevations for the wells of this group have been as follows 1931526 feet 1932633 feet 1933 644 feet and 1934 547 feet

Ithas beennoteel above that the ground surface of the station slopes to the south anel east from the northwest comer anel that one of the main cDnals of the district Tuns along its north line This would suggest that the gradient of the subsoil water would also be to the south and east It appealS however that this is not the case The highest mean elevations nre found notnt well no 1 at the northwest comer nor in any of tIle wells of the north line but in wells 6 and 12 in the second and third lines to the south In other words the higlJest elevation of the subsoil water occurs near tIle middle of the west side of the station A possible eq)lanation of the higher elevution in this areu particulnrlyat wells 6 und12 is tlHLt these wells ure located in an areu of relatively course sundy soil and contiguous to irrigation ditches One of them no 6 is dose to the LO lutelul and the other no 12 is near the fal1n ditch through which most of the irrigation wuter for the stution is carried

lABLE 2-The gradient of the sllbwil Water Newlnnds Field Staion mean elevashytions above dalII in Zine~ of wells jor the 4-yeQ1 1)()riod 1931-34shy

[Dalumlllfi() feet a)ov sell 1ee11

Norlh Wesl II Norlhmiddot 1C5t s~ulh Icnst lines Un JlO south cost lilies

I hues 11 lines

middot----1 I---~- -----shy Peet i Fcct I Feel Peet

~~=- fgi I g~i I L~ --1 Ug yeng~3_______ ~ _____ ~ ____ ~ ___ ~___ 570 n afJ I The data ill table 2 show thf1t on the basis of mean eleYation there

is a fuirly uniform grudient from west to east of approxill111tely 2 feet between lines 1 and 5 Tbis is equivalent to [L gradient of 4 feet per mile On the other hand tIle data of the wost-east lines show tbat the mean elevationin line no 1 the north line is lower than that of lines 2 or 3 witl) line 3 the highest Thus while there is a definite and consistent grtLdient from west to east the gmdieut is slightly upwurd from the north to the center of the station then more steeply downwurcL to the south line Tile meunelevation in the soutlt line of wells is almost the sume as in the east line

In Il1uking these observutions as to the depth to w~ter in this group of welIsno uttempt has been made to record the Jnghest elClltions reached during any season The measurements Iltwe been l11ade at regular monthly prriods regardless of the time of irrigation or of other factors that might influence temporarily the clevlltion of the water tuble Alevicw of data from 111Ulnber of the weUs thf1t are located adjacent to cropped fields shows that during the summer months the season of act e crop grorh the distance from the grollnd surfaee to the wattr ttlbIe may be for several weeks at a time less thnll 3 feet that it is seldom 11101e tbnn 4 feet and in some plnces may be jess than 2 feet This prohably menns two things in respect to the root systems of the crop plants (1) Tllflt the active and functioning root system is eonlined to the shallow zone of soil above the water table often less than 3 fect deep nnd (2) that the root system is in dose contact with and must absorb wuter from tho 1ppll flingo of this

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

~ ~middoto s--

~ Technical Bulletin No 533 October 1936

UNITED STATES DEPARTh1ENT OF AGRICULTURE

WASHINGTON D C

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS (NEV) FIELD STATION

By CART S SCOFIELD princilal agriculturist in charge C LLOYD MOON senior scientific aide and Er~rER V KNfGUT assistant CI(lrOnomist and Sn7Jerintendent Division of Western Irrigation Agriculture Burectu of Plant Industry

Page PagaIntroduction_________________ ___ 1 Ihe wells of group 3_________________________ 17Description of tho nrcu ________ w_ ~ ~W_ ~~ ~ 2 Elevation of subsoil water_____ _________ 17rhe wells of group L __________ _ Quality of subsoil wnter __ bull ____ _______ 19

Elcution of subsoil wlllcr __ bull J rho wc1ls of group 4 ____ ____ _ ~ ~_____ 22 QUlliity of subsoil wnlcr_ __ __ 6 r~levnti)n of subsoil witter ~ M_ ~ _~ ~ ~ _ _ 22

The wells of group 2bullbullbull ________ 10 Qulllit~middotofsubsoil wu(er __ 21 Elovntioll of subsoil wutcr 11 rite wells of ftTOnp fL ___________ ~ _~ _~_ ___ 25 Qunlityofsubsoil wuler__ lJ I1II1itj of drainago willer _ _ iuln nlnr~middot _ _______________________ _~ _____ ~9

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this report is to discuss conditions in respect to the ~ ubsoil water that constitutes one of the features of the Inoblem of J ~rop production not only 011 tll Newlands Field Station but elseshyi 5vhere on the N cwlancls reclamation project rhis stf)tion was cstabshyi clished in 1906 by the Bureuu of Plant Industry in cooperation with

the United Stutes Rcclttmation Sen-rice (now the Bmcau of Ilcc]amashyC1tiOll United States Drpl1rtment of the In terior) and the N eyacla ~gricultul11 Experiment Station rhe station occupies 160 acres of z1lld being the northwest quttrter of see 5 T 18 N R 20 E 110tUlt --Diablo base nud meridian Jt is 1 mile south of Iilllloll N ey the

county seat of Chmchill County It hilS long been recof11izelti in connection with the agronomie work

at this station that the existence of a saturated ZOlle~ill the subsoil (a high water table) was OIle of tbe limiting factors in crop ])rod tletion Investigations concl uded prior to 1924 showed that the ]oot zone of the soil WIlS restricted irom below by this sutmated Z011e tlJld that the water of tbis satmllted zone of the subsoil middothiLe variable in snlinity frequently contaulcd excessiye concentrations of dissolyed snlts The present report deals chiefly with investigations inaugurated in 1930 which were planned to obiiain information concerning the winual or sellsonal il uctulLtion in the position of the water-saturated zone of the subsoil and the nature and concentmtion of the salinityof the snbsoil water

19~fCOFIELlJ C S Tm~rOE~E)T OP W~TEI I) 1ItIllOATU SOILS Jour Ir J(escllrch 27 O7-1l01 ilIus

i358Go-3G--l

2 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA

The Newlands reclamation project within which the Newlands Field Station is located occupieR a portion of the delta of the Oarson River The soil is predominantly sundy in texture but its profile includes lenses of fUle silt or clay In topography the Mea is a plane sloping gently f1Om west to east but tbe surface is TOugbened by nymerous small hillocks or sand dunes and by former channels of the nver

The irrigation supph- is obtained chiefly from Oarson River the flood waters of whi~h ale stored in Tlahontan Reservoir This supply is supplemented by water diverted from Truckee River through a canal that sU]Jplies some Df the higher lund along the western edge of the district and discharges into Lahontan Reservoir The main diversion for the canal system of the district js on Oarson River about 9 lliles below Lahontan Dam

The land of the N ewlands Field Station was in its natural condition rather lOugh with several low sand hills interspersed witb lower smooth areas of which the soil was badly deflocculated relatively impermeable to water and of low productivity With the progress of time the land has been leveled until now it is nearly all irrigable The surface slopes to the south aml east from the northwest corner of the tract Its elevation at the northwest corner is 3964 feet above sea level and at the southeast corner it is 3959 feet

One of the old flood chllnnels of Carson River lies a few hundred yards north of the station and formerly no doubt a part of the stashytion area was flooded from this channel One of the main irrigation canals of the district the L canal follows the north line of section 6 past the station from a 12-foot drop at the northwest corner Irrishygation water is diverted from the main canal above this drop to supply two laterals One of these the LC lateral runs south along the west line of the station and the other the OiC lateral runs east along the north line parallel to and south of the main canal A part of the irrigation supply for the station is diverted from the LC lateral but the major portion of it is taken from the CiG lateral at a gate located about 600 feet east of the northwest corner of the station (fig 1) Thus during the irrigation season from April to October there is a large volume of water in the main canal almost continuously and intermittently there is water at higher levels in one or both of the lateral canals All of these canals are unlined

The open LD drain approaches the station from the west This drain intersects the west line of the station near its center then runs south to the southwest corner thence east along the south line where it turns southeast and eventually discharges into Carson Lake The elevation middotof the surface of the water-satmated zone of the susoil on the station has been observed by means of wells These wells have been bored to suitahle depths with a soil augel and cased with galshyvanized-irtm pipes 3~ inches in diameter open at the bottom and perforated in the lower sections The tops of these well cllsings stand a foot or more above the ground surface and are covered ith a loose cap The elevation above sea level of each well top is determined and recorded 1he wtlter-table elovtltion is determined by mefLsuring the depth to water from the top of the well cllsingand subtracting that measurement from the elevation oftbe well top Eaeh well is

~

f

~

~

4

3 SUBSOIL W AlERS OF NEWLANDS STAION

pumped out at least once a month to insure that it communicates freely with the surrounding water In presenting the data of watcrshytable elevations the datum is set at 3950 feet above sea level

The observation wells used in this investigation are comprised in five groups The wells of each group were established for a specific investigation Group 1 (the boron-survey wells) includes 25 wells which are located to represent the whole station These wells are approinlately 600 feet apart euch way and are in five rows of five wells each Group 2 (in thc C series fig 1) includes 18 wells These

are located in an area south Mel west of the center of the station in two lines running from west to cast The wells in each line are 62 feet apart and the two lines mo 477 feet apart Group 3 includes 24 wells loct1ted nem the southwest corner of the station These wells are in two lines llIlluing frolll west to east The wells in each line aTe 85 ieet apnrt and the lines are 260 feet apart Group 4 includes 12 wells locilted nem the southeast cOrner of the station They UJe also in two lines like those of group 3 being 85 feet apart in the lines with the lines 244 reet npart Group 5 includes fom wells located in an undeveloped and unilligated portion of the station between the Y series and the LD drain

4 1ECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl m AGRICUVrURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 1

The wells of this group 25 in number were established in 1929 and 1930 chiefly as a means of obtaining information as to the salinity and boron content of the subsoil waters for the station as a whole Beginning vith Jumtary 1931 the depth to water has been measured in each of these wells each month iLlld at less fTequent intervals samshyples of the water have been taken for analysis After the measureshyment each well is ]mmpecl out to insme that it is functioning properly The wells of this group me mU11beled from 1 to 25 and are approxishymately 600 ieet apitrt each WHy (fig 1) Nos 1 to 5 make up the first line of wells running from west to eust parallel to nnel n short disshytance south 01 the north line of the station The seconclline nos 6 to 10 is 600 feet south of the first line and ench succeeding line is 600 feet fartber south Thus the data from wells of tbis group may be considcred as a vhole OJ subc1iyicieci into groups of five wells in each of fiye lines running either from west to enst or from north to south or the record of ench well may be considered indiYidually

TARLE l-illram(JcIIenl of the wells of (JIOll1) 1 Newland Field Station with the 4-lIeal mean elevation of the subsoil water at each well and the 4-year mean anmwl ran(le oj elevation

[Datum 3050 feet above senlevcl]

Well 110_____________________bull __bullbullbull ____ __ _bull I 2 3 4 5Mean clovlltion_~ ____ _ ~ n feel bull 70U DOO 548 576 571llcnn llUlluul rnnge _ ___ ~_ __ ~ ____ (1[L a() 315 317 347 4 (I

Well 110_ __ bull __ 6 i 8 9 10 lTcnll clc~nLioti __ middotriPl 7li8 086 nOg 570 540 ~lcau unllual runge ~ __ ~_d(J -~ l70 3 (1 332 341 382

Well no___ __ _ H 12 13 1-1 15 ATcnn elevutlonbullbull rmlL_ 725 iH 6middot13 570 484 llclln lluBunl rUllge ~ _ 10 230 388 270 314 317

Wollno _________ If 17 18 19 20 1fcnn clcvnliorL~ ___ r(J~L_ nm) G50 011 546 500 NICllU tlunuul rllllgc~_ ___ _~~~_dv __ 150 216 211 251 225

gt bullbull --- _ _shy

1I0Ilno_ _ 21 22 23 24 20 11011n clCyt1tiot1 _~ ~_ ~ M ~-~ -_-~- -~~_-_- ~r(ci D17 5(j3 483 409 403_ - _

I1leull unllunl rlllgo____ do ___ 1 Si un 96 19 L 19

The nrmngement of the wplls of glOUp 1 is shown in table 1 toshygethcr with SUJlUl1ari(s of the basic data as to tbe position and annual fluetuations of the sWIace of the subsoil wntel at each well The menn clevation represents the menn of monthly mcnSlUements during the 4-rcltl ]lcriod from Janullry 1031 to December 1034 TIle mean annunl range leprcsents the meilu of the sensonnl chnngc in level each yemfrom the lowpoint onate winter to the high point of thcfollowing SlUllnler

ELEVATION OF sunson WATER

DUTing tbe 4 years 1931-34 the mean elevution of the subsoil water as measllled in this group of 25 wells has been 595 fect aboye datmn Ci e ubove 3950 feet nbove sen level) The elevntion flucshytuates dUl-ing the year It is usually lowest in the late winter and highest cIUlingthe Cltrly SlU11Jncr rhe mean at11lunl range in elevashytion is 272 feet The monthly mean elevations for these 25 wells for 4 years haye rangeu from 406 feet III FebrutlTY to 731 feet nbove datum in July In this 4-year period tllCre have been two seasons of water shortage tIle SfltlsonS of 1931 aud1934 These water shortages have been reflected in the eleyation of the subsoil water The mean

5 SUBSOIl WAJERS OF NEWLANDS STATmN

annual elevations for the wells of this group have been as follows 1931526 feet 1932633 feet 1933 644 feet and 1934 547 feet

Ithas beennoteel above that the ground surface of the station slopes to the south anel east from the northwest comer anel that one of the main cDnals of the district Tuns along its north line This would suggest that the gradient of the subsoil water would also be to the south and east It appealS however that this is not the case The highest mean elevations nre found notnt well no 1 at the northwest comer nor in any of tIle wells of the north line but in wells 6 and 12 in the second and third lines to the south In other words the higlJest elevation of the subsoil water occurs near tIle middle of the west side of the station A possible eq)lanation of the higher elevution in this areu particulnrlyat wells 6 und12 is tlHLt these wells ure located in an areu of relatively course sundy soil and contiguous to irrigation ditches One of them no 6 is dose to the LO lutelul and the other no 12 is near the fal1n ditch through which most of the irrigation wuter for the stution is carried

lABLE 2-The gradient of the sllbwil Water Newlnnds Field Staion mean elevashytions above dalII in Zine~ of wells jor the 4-yeQ1 1)()riod 1931-34shy

[Dalumlllfi() feet a)ov sell 1ee11

Norlh Wesl II Norlhmiddot 1C5t s~ulh Icnst lines Un JlO south cost lilies

I hues 11 lines

middot----1 I---~- -----shy Peet i Fcct I Feel Peet

~~=- fgi I g~i I L~ --1 Ug yeng~3_______ ~ _____ ~ ____ ~ ___ ~___ 570 n afJ I The data ill table 2 show thf1t on the basis of mean eleYation there

is a fuirly uniform grudient from west to east of approxill111tely 2 feet between lines 1 and 5 Tbis is equivalent to [L gradient of 4 feet per mile On the other hand tIle data of the wost-east lines show tbat the mean elevationin line no 1 the north line is lower than that of lines 2 or 3 witl) line 3 the highest Thus while there is a definite and consistent grtLdient from west to east the gmdieut is slightly upwurd from the north to the center of the station then more steeply downwurcL to the south line Tile meunelevation in the soutlt line of wells is almost the sume as in the east line

In Il1uking these observutions as to the depth to w~ter in this group of welIsno uttempt has been made to record the Jnghest elClltions reached during any season The measurements Iltwe been l11ade at regular monthly prriods regardless of the time of irrigation or of other factors that might influence temporarily the clevlltion of the water tuble Alevicw of data from 111Ulnber of the weUs thf1t are located adjacent to cropped fields shows that during the summer months the season of act e crop grorh the distance from the grollnd surfaee to the wattr ttlbIe may be for several weeks at a time less thnll 3 feet that it is seldom 11101e tbnn 4 feet and in some plnces may be jess than 2 feet This prohably menns two things in respect to the root systems of the crop plants (1) Tllflt the active and functioning root system is eonlined to the shallow zone of soil above the water table often less than 3 fect deep nnd (2) that the root system is in dose contact with and must absorb wuter from tho 1ppll flingo of this

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

2 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA

The Newlands reclamation project within which the Newlands Field Station is located occupieR a portion of the delta of the Oarson River The soil is predominantly sundy in texture but its profile includes lenses of fUle silt or clay In topography the Mea is a plane sloping gently f1Om west to east but tbe surface is TOugbened by nymerous small hillocks or sand dunes and by former channels of the nver

The irrigation supph- is obtained chiefly from Oarson River the flood waters of whi~h ale stored in Tlahontan Reservoir This supply is supplemented by water diverted from Truckee River through a canal that sU]Jplies some Df the higher lund along the western edge of the district and discharges into Lahontan Reservoir The main diversion for the canal system of the district js on Oarson River about 9 lliles below Lahontan Dam

The land of the N ewlands Field Station was in its natural condition rather lOugh with several low sand hills interspersed witb lower smooth areas of which the soil was badly deflocculated relatively impermeable to water and of low productivity With the progress of time the land has been leveled until now it is nearly all irrigable The surface slopes to the south aml east from the northwest corner of the tract Its elevation at the northwest corner is 3964 feet above sea level and at the southeast corner it is 3959 feet

One of the old flood chllnnels of Carson River lies a few hundred yards north of the station and formerly no doubt a part of the stashytion area was flooded from this channel One of the main irrigation canals of the district the L canal follows the north line of section 6 past the station from a 12-foot drop at the northwest corner Irrishygation water is diverted from the main canal above this drop to supply two laterals One of these the LC lateral runs south along the west line of the station and the other the OiC lateral runs east along the north line parallel to and south of the main canal A part of the irrigation supply for the station is diverted from the LC lateral but the major portion of it is taken from the CiG lateral at a gate located about 600 feet east of the northwest corner of the station (fig 1) Thus during the irrigation season from April to October there is a large volume of water in the main canal almost continuously and intermittently there is water at higher levels in one or both of the lateral canals All of these canals are unlined

The open LD drain approaches the station from the west This drain intersects the west line of the station near its center then runs south to the southwest corner thence east along the south line where it turns southeast and eventually discharges into Carson Lake The elevation middotof the surface of the water-satmated zone of the susoil on the station has been observed by means of wells These wells have been bored to suitahle depths with a soil augel and cased with galshyvanized-irtm pipes 3~ inches in diameter open at the bottom and perforated in the lower sections The tops of these well cllsings stand a foot or more above the ground surface and are covered ith a loose cap The elevation above sea level of each well top is determined and recorded 1he wtlter-table elovtltion is determined by mefLsuring the depth to water from the top of the well cllsingand subtracting that measurement from the elevation oftbe well top Eaeh well is

~

f

~

~

4

3 SUBSOIL W AlERS OF NEWLANDS STAION

pumped out at least once a month to insure that it communicates freely with the surrounding water In presenting the data of watcrshytable elevations the datum is set at 3950 feet above sea level

The observation wells used in this investigation are comprised in five groups The wells of each group were established for a specific investigation Group 1 (the boron-survey wells) includes 25 wells which are located to represent the whole station These wells are approinlately 600 feet apart euch way and are in five rows of five wells each Group 2 (in thc C series fig 1) includes 18 wells These

are located in an area south Mel west of the center of the station in two lines running from west to cast The wells in each line are 62 feet apart and the two lines mo 477 feet apart Group 3 includes 24 wells loct1ted nem the southwest corner of the station These wells are in two lines llIlluing frolll west to east The wells in each line aTe 85 ieet apnrt and the lines are 260 feet apart Group 4 includes 12 wells locilted nem the southeast cOrner of the station They UJe also in two lines like those of group 3 being 85 feet apart in the lines with the lines 244 reet npart Group 5 includes fom wells located in an undeveloped and unilligated portion of the station between the Y series and the LD drain

4 1ECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl m AGRICUVrURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 1

The wells of this group 25 in number were established in 1929 and 1930 chiefly as a means of obtaining information as to the salinity and boron content of the subsoil waters for the station as a whole Beginning vith Jumtary 1931 the depth to water has been measured in each of these wells each month iLlld at less fTequent intervals samshyples of the water have been taken for analysis After the measureshyment each well is ]mmpecl out to insme that it is functioning properly The wells of this group me mU11beled from 1 to 25 and are approxishymately 600 ieet apitrt each WHy (fig 1) Nos 1 to 5 make up the first line of wells running from west to eust parallel to nnel n short disshytance south 01 the north line of the station The seconclline nos 6 to 10 is 600 feet south of the first line and ench succeeding line is 600 feet fartber south Thus the data from wells of tbis group may be considcred as a vhole OJ subc1iyicieci into groups of five wells in each of fiye lines running either from west to enst or from north to south or the record of ench well may be considered indiYidually

TARLE l-illram(JcIIenl of the wells of (JIOll1) 1 Newland Field Station with the 4-lIeal mean elevation of the subsoil water at each well and the 4-year mean anmwl ran(le oj elevation

[Datum 3050 feet above senlevcl]

Well 110_____________________bull __bullbullbull ____ __ _bull I 2 3 4 5Mean clovlltion_~ ____ _ ~ n feel bull 70U DOO 548 576 571llcnn llUlluul rnnge _ ___ ~_ __ ~ ____ (1[L a() 315 317 347 4 (I

Well 110_ __ bull __ 6 i 8 9 10 lTcnll clc~nLioti __ middotriPl 7li8 086 nOg 570 540 ~lcau unllual runge ~ __ ~_d(J -~ l70 3 (1 332 341 382

Well no___ __ _ H 12 13 1-1 15 ATcnn elevutlonbullbull rmlL_ 725 iH 6middot13 570 484 llclln lluBunl rUllge ~ _ 10 230 388 270 314 317

Wollno _________ If 17 18 19 20 1fcnn clcvnliorL~ ___ r(J~L_ nm) G50 011 546 500 NICllU tlunuul rllllgc~_ ___ _~~~_dv __ 150 216 211 251 225

gt bullbull --- _ _shy

1I0Ilno_ _ 21 22 23 24 20 11011n clCyt1tiot1 _~ ~_ ~ M ~-~ -_-~- -~~_-_- ~r(ci D17 5(j3 483 409 403_ - _

I1leull unllunl rlllgo____ do ___ 1 Si un 96 19 L 19

The nrmngement of the wplls of glOUp 1 is shown in table 1 toshygethcr with SUJlUl1ari(s of the basic data as to tbe position and annual fluetuations of the sWIace of the subsoil wntel at each well The menn clevation represents the menn of monthly mcnSlUements during the 4-rcltl ]lcriod from Janullry 1031 to December 1034 TIle mean annunl range leprcsents the meilu of the sensonnl chnngc in level each yemfrom the lowpoint onate winter to the high point of thcfollowing SlUllnler

ELEVATION OF sunson WATER

DUTing tbe 4 years 1931-34 the mean elevution of the subsoil water as measllled in this group of 25 wells has been 595 fect aboye datmn Ci e ubove 3950 feet nbove sen level) The elevntion flucshytuates dUl-ing the year It is usually lowest in the late winter and highest cIUlingthe Cltrly SlU11Jncr rhe mean at11lunl range in elevashytion is 272 feet The monthly mean elevations for these 25 wells for 4 years haye rangeu from 406 feet III FebrutlTY to 731 feet nbove datum in July In this 4-year period tllCre have been two seasons of water shortage tIle SfltlsonS of 1931 aud1934 These water shortages have been reflected in the eleyation of the subsoil water The mean

5 SUBSOIl WAJERS OF NEWLANDS STATmN

annual elevations for the wells of this group have been as follows 1931526 feet 1932633 feet 1933 644 feet and 1934 547 feet

Ithas beennoteel above that the ground surface of the station slopes to the south anel east from the northwest comer anel that one of the main cDnals of the district Tuns along its north line This would suggest that the gradient of the subsoil water would also be to the south and east It appealS however that this is not the case The highest mean elevations nre found notnt well no 1 at the northwest comer nor in any of tIle wells of the north line but in wells 6 and 12 in the second and third lines to the south In other words the higlJest elevation of the subsoil water occurs near tIle middle of the west side of the station A possible eq)lanation of the higher elevution in this areu particulnrlyat wells 6 und12 is tlHLt these wells ure located in an areu of relatively course sundy soil and contiguous to irrigation ditches One of them no 6 is dose to the LO lutelul and the other no 12 is near the fal1n ditch through which most of the irrigation wuter for the stution is carried

lABLE 2-The gradient of the sllbwil Water Newlnnds Field Staion mean elevashytions above dalII in Zine~ of wells jor the 4-yeQ1 1)()riod 1931-34shy

[Dalumlllfi() feet a)ov sell 1ee11

Norlh Wesl II Norlhmiddot 1C5t s~ulh Icnst lines Un JlO south cost lilies

I hues 11 lines

middot----1 I---~- -----shy Peet i Fcct I Feel Peet

~~=- fgi I g~i I L~ --1 Ug yeng~3_______ ~ _____ ~ ____ ~ ___ ~___ 570 n afJ I The data ill table 2 show thf1t on the basis of mean eleYation there

is a fuirly uniform grudient from west to east of approxill111tely 2 feet between lines 1 and 5 Tbis is equivalent to [L gradient of 4 feet per mile On the other hand tIle data of the wost-east lines show tbat the mean elevationin line no 1 the north line is lower than that of lines 2 or 3 witl) line 3 the highest Thus while there is a definite and consistent grtLdient from west to east the gmdieut is slightly upwurd from the north to the center of the station then more steeply downwurcL to the south line Tile meunelevation in the soutlt line of wells is almost the sume as in the east line

In Il1uking these observutions as to the depth to w~ter in this group of welIsno uttempt has been made to record the Jnghest elClltions reached during any season The measurements Iltwe been l11ade at regular monthly prriods regardless of the time of irrigation or of other factors that might influence temporarily the clevlltion of the water tuble Alevicw of data from 111Ulnber of the weUs thf1t are located adjacent to cropped fields shows that during the summer months the season of act e crop grorh the distance from the grollnd surfaee to the wattr ttlbIe may be for several weeks at a time less thnll 3 feet that it is seldom 11101e tbnn 4 feet and in some plnces may be jess than 2 feet This prohably menns two things in respect to the root systems of the crop plants (1) Tllflt the active and functioning root system is eonlined to the shallow zone of soil above the water table often less than 3 fect deep nnd (2) that the root system is in dose contact with and must absorb wuter from tho 1ppll flingo of this

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

3 SUBSOIL W AlERS OF NEWLANDS STAION

pumped out at least once a month to insure that it communicates freely with the surrounding water In presenting the data of watcrshytable elevations the datum is set at 3950 feet above sea level

The observation wells used in this investigation are comprised in five groups The wells of each group were established for a specific investigation Group 1 (the boron-survey wells) includes 25 wells which are located to represent the whole station These wells are approinlately 600 feet apart euch way and are in five rows of five wells each Group 2 (in thc C series fig 1) includes 18 wells These

are located in an area south Mel west of the center of the station in two lines running from west to cast The wells in each line are 62 feet apart and the two lines mo 477 feet apart Group 3 includes 24 wells loct1ted nem the southwest corner of the station These wells are in two lines llIlluing frolll west to east The wells in each line aTe 85 ieet apnrt and the lines are 260 feet apart Group 4 includes 12 wells locilted nem the southeast cOrner of the station They UJe also in two lines like those of group 3 being 85 feet apart in the lines with the lines 244 reet npart Group 5 includes fom wells located in an undeveloped and unilligated portion of the station between the Y series and the LD drain

4 1ECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl m AGRICUVrURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 1

The wells of this group 25 in number were established in 1929 and 1930 chiefly as a means of obtaining information as to the salinity and boron content of the subsoil waters for the station as a whole Beginning vith Jumtary 1931 the depth to water has been measured in each of these wells each month iLlld at less fTequent intervals samshyples of the water have been taken for analysis After the measureshyment each well is ]mmpecl out to insme that it is functioning properly The wells of this group me mU11beled from 1 to 25 and are approxishymately 600 ieet apitrt each WHy (fig 1) Nos 1 to 5 make up the first line of wells running from west to eust parallel to nnel n short disshytance south 01 the north line of the station The seconclline nos 6 to 10 is 600 feet south of the first line and ench succeeding line is 600 feet fartber south Thus the data from wells of tbis group may be considcred as a vhole OJ subc1iyicieci into groups of five wells in each of fiye lines running either from west to enst or from north to south or the record of ench well may be considered indiYidually

TARLE l-illram(JcIIenl of the wells of (JIOll1) 1 Newland Field Station with the 4-lIeal mean elevation of the subsoil water at each well and the 4-year mean anmwl ran(le oj elevation

[Datum 3050 feet above senlevcl]

Well 110_____________________bull __bullbullbull ____ __ _bull I 2 3 4 5Mean clovlltion_~ ____ _ ~ n feel bull 70U DOO 548 576 571llcnn llUlluul rnnge _ ___ ~_ __ ~ ____ (1[L a() 315 317 347 4 (I

Well 110_ __ bull __ 6 i 8 9 10 lTcnll clc~nLioti __ middotriPl 7li8 086 nOg 570 540 ~lcau unllual runge ~ __ ~_d(J -~ l70 3 (1 332 341 382

Well no___ __ _ H 12 13 1-1 15 ATcnn elevutlonbullbull rmlL_ 725 iH 6middot13 570 484 llclln lluBunl rUllge ~ _ 10 230 388 270 314 317

Wollno _________ If 17 18 19 20 1fcnn clcvnliorL~ ___ r(J~L_ nm) G50 011 546 500 NICllU tlunuul rllllgc~_ ___ _~~~_dv __ 150 216 211 251 225

gt bullbull --- _ _shy

1I0Ilno_ _ 21 22 23 24 20 11011n clCyt1tiot1 _~ ~_ ~ M ~-~ -_-~- -~~_-_- ~r(ci D17 5(j3 483 409 403_ - _

I1leull unllunl rlllgo____ do ___ 1 Si un 96 19 L 19

The nrmngement of the wplls of glOUp 1 is shown in table 1 toshygethcr with SUJlUl1ari(s of the basic data as to tbe position and annual fluetuations of the sWIace of the subsoil wntel at each well The menn clevation represents the menn of monthly mcnSlUements during the 4-rcltl ]lcriod from Janullry 1031 to December 1034 TIle mean annunl range leprcsents the meilu of the sensonnl chnngc in level each yemfrom the lowpoint onate winter to the high point of thcfollowing SlUllnler

ELEVATION OF sunson WATER

DUTing tbe 4 years 1931-34 the mean elevution of the subsoil water as measllled in this group of 25 wells has been 595 fect aboye datmn Ci e ubove 3950 feet nbove sen level) The elevntion flucshytuates dUl-ing the year It is usually lowest in the late winter and highest cIUlingthe Cltrly SlU11Jncr rhe mean at11lunl range in elevashytion is 272 feet The monthly mean elevations for these 25 wells for 4 years haye rangeu from 406 feet III FebrutlTY to 731 feet nbove datum in July In this 4-year period tllCre have been two seasons of water shortage tIle SfltlsonS of 1931 aud1934 These water shortages have been reflected in the eleyation of the subsoil water The mean

5 SUBSOIl WAJERS OF NEWLANDS STATmN

annual elevations for the wells of this group have been as follows 1931526 feet 1932633 feet 1933 644 feet and 1934 547 feet

Ithas beennoteel above that the ground surface of the station slopes to the south anel east from the northwest comer anel that one of the main cDnals of the district Tuns along its north line This would suggest that the gradient of the subsoil water would also be to the south and east It appealS however that this is not the case The highest mean elevations nre found notnt well no 1 at the northwest comer nor in any of tIle wells of the north line but in wells 6 and 12 in the second and third lines to the south In other words the higlJest elevation of the subsoil water occurs near tIle middle of the west side of the station A possible eq)lanation of the higher elevution in this areu particulnrlyat wells 6 und12 is tlHLt these wells ure located in an areu of relatively course sundy soil and contiguous to irrigation ditches One of them no 6 is dose to the LO lutelul and the other no 12 is near the fal1n ditch through which most of the irrigation wuter for the stution is carried

lABLE 2-The gradient of the sllbwil Water Newlnnds Field Staion mean elevashytions above dalII in Zine~ of wells jor the 4-yeQ1 1)()riod 1931-34shy

[Dalumlllfi() feet a)ov sell 1ee11

Norlh Wesl II Norlhmiddot 1C5t s~ulh Icnst lines Un JlO south cost lilies

I hues 11 lines

middot----1 I---~- -----shy Peet i Fcct I Feel Peet

~~=- fgi I g~i I L~ --1 Ug yeng~3_______ ~ _____ ~ ____ ~ ___ ~___ 570 n afJ I The data ill table 2 show thf1t on the basis of mean eleYation there

is a fuirly uniform grudient from west to east of approxill111tely 2 feet between lines 1 and 5 Tbis is equivalent to [L gradient of 4 feet per mile On the other hand tIle data of the wost-east lines show tbat the mean elevationin line no 1 the north line is lower than that of lines 2 or 3 witl) line 3 the highest Thus while there is a definite and consistent grtLdient from west to east the gmdieut is slightly upwurd from the north to the center of the station then more steeply downwurcL to the south line Tile meunelevation in the soutlt line of wells is almost the sume as in the east line

In Il1uking these observutions as to the depth to w~ter in this group of welIsno uttempt has been made to record the Jnghest elClltions reached during any season The measurements Iltwe been l11ade at regular monthly prriods regardless of the time of irrigation or of other factors that might influence temporarily the clevlltion of the water tuble Alevicw of data from 111Ulnber of the weUs thf1t are located adjacent to cropped fields shows that during the summer months the season of act e crop grorh the distance from the grollnd surfaee to the wattr ttlbIe may be for several weeks at a time less thnll 3 feet that it is seldom 11101e tbnn 4 feet and in some plnces may be jess than 2 feet This prohably menns two things in respect to the root systems of the crop plants (1) Tllflt the active and functioning root system is eonlined to the shallow zone of soil above the water table often less than 3 fect deep nnd (2) that the root system is in dose contact with and must absorb wuter from tho 1ppll flingo of this

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

4 1ECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl m AGRICUVrURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 1

The wells of this group 25 in number were established in 1929 and 1930 chiefly as a means of obtaining information as to the salinity and boron content of the subsoil waters for the station as a whole Beginning vith Jumtary 1931 the depth to water has been measured in each of these wells each month iLlld at less fTequent intervals samshyples of the water have been taken for analysis After the measureshyment each well is ]mmpecl out to insme that it is functioning properly The wells of this group me mU11beled from 1 to 25 and are approxishymately 600 ieet apitrt each WHy (fig 1) Nos 1 to 5 make up the first line of wells running from west to eust parallel to nnel n short disshytance south 01 the north line of the station The seconclline nos 6 to 10 is 600 feet south of the first line and ench succeeding line is 600 feet fartber south Thus the data from wells of tbis group may be considcred as a vhole OJ subc1iyicieci into groups of five wells in each of fiye lines running either from west to enst or from north to south or the record of ench well may be considered indiYidually

TARLE l-illram(JcIIenl of the wells of (JIOll1) 1 Newland Field Station with the 4-lIeal mean elevation of the subsoil water at each well and the 4-year mean anmwl ran(le oj elevation

[Datum 3050 feet above senlevcl]

Well 110_____________________bull __bullbullbull ____ __ _bull I 2 3 4 5Mean clovlltion_~ ____ _ ~ n feel bull 70U DOO 548 576 571llcnn llUlluul rnnge _ ___ ~_ __ ~ ____ (1[L a() 315 317 347 4 (I

Well 110_ __ bull __ 6 i 8 9 10 lTcnll clc~nLioti __ middotriPl 7li8 086 nOg 570 540 ~lcau unllual runge ~ __ ~_d(J -~ l70 3 (1 332 341 382

Well no___ __ _ H 12 13 1-1 15 ATcnn elevutlonbullbull rmlL_ 725 iH 6middot13 570 484 llclln lluBunl rUllge ~ _ 10 230 388 270 314 317

Wollno _________ If 17 18 19 20 1fcnn clcvnliorL~ ___ r(J~L_ nm) G50 011 546 500 NICllU tlunuul rllllgc~_ ___ _~~~_dv __ 150 216 211 251 225

gt bullbull --- _ _shy

1I0Ilno_ _ 21 22 23 24 20 11011n clCyt1tiot1 _~ ~_ ~ M ~-~ -_-~- -~~_-_- ~r(ci D17 5(j3 483 409 403_ - _

I1leull unllunl rlllgo____ do ___ 1 Si un 96 19 L 19

The nrmngement of the wplls of glOUp 1 is shown in table 1 toshygethcr with SUJlUl1ari(s of the basic data as to tbe position and annual fluetuations of the sWIace of the subsoil wntel at each well The menn clevation represents the menn of monthly mcnSlUements during the 4-rcltl ]lcriod from Janullry 1031 to December 1034 TIle mean annunl range leprcsents the meilu of the sensonnl chnngc in level each yemfrom the lowpoint onate winter to the high point of thcfollowing SlUllnler

ELEVATION OF sunson WATER

DUTing tbe 4 years 1931-34 the mean elevution of the subsoil water as measllled in this group of 25 wells has been 595 fect aboye datmn Ci e ubove 3950 feet nbove sen level) The elevntion flucshytuates dUl-ing the year It is usually lowest in the late winter and highest cIUlingthe Cltrly SlU11Jncr rhe mean at11lunl range in elevashytion is 272 feet The monthly mean elevations for these 25 wells for 4 years haye rangeu from 406 feet III FebrutlTY to 731 feet nbove datum in July In this 4-year period tllCre have been two seasons of water shortage tIle SfltlsonS of 1931 aud1934 These water shortages have been reflected in the eleyation of the subsoil water The mean

5 SUBSOIl WAJERS OF NEWLANDS STATmN

annual elevations for the wells of this group have been as follows 1931526 feet 1932633 feet 1933 644 feet and 1934 547 feet

Ithas beennoteel above that the ground surface of the station slopes to the south anel east from the northwest comer anel that one of the main cDnals of the district Tuns along its north line This would suggest that the gradient of the subsoil water would also be to the south and east It appealS however that this is not the case The highest mean elevations nre found notnt well no 1 at the northwest comer nor in any of tIle wells of the north line but in wells 6 and 12 in the second and third lines to the south In other words the higlJest elevation of the subsoil water occurs near tIle middle of the west side of the station A possible eq)lanation of the higher elevution in this areu particulnrlyat wells 6 und12 is tlHLt these wells ure located in an areu of relatively course sundy soil and contiguous to irrigation ditches One of them no 6 is dose to the LO lutelul and the other no 12 is near the fal1n ditch through which most of the irrigation wuter for the stution is carried

lABLE 2-The gradient of the sllbwil Water Newlnnds Field Staion mean elevashytions above dalII in Zine~ of wells jor the 4-yeQ1 1)()riod 1931-34shy

[Dalumlllfi() feet a)ov sell 1ee11

Norlh Wesl II Norlhmiddot 1C5t s~ulh Icnst lines Un JlO south cost lilies

I hues 11 lines

middot----1 I---~- -----shy Peet i Fcct I Feel Peet

~~=- fgi I g~i I L~ --1 Ug yeng~3_______ ~ _____ ~ ____ ~ ___ ~___ 570 n afJ I The data ill table 2 show thf1t on the basis of mean eleYation there

is a fuirly uniform grudient from west to east of approxill111tely 2 feet between lines 1 and 5 Tbis is equivalent to [L gradient of 4 feet per mile On the other hand tIle data of the wost-east lines show tbat the mean elevationin line no 1 the north line is lower than that of lines 2 or 3 witl) line 3 the highest Thus while there is a definite and consistent grtLdient from west to east the gmdieut is slightly upwurd from the north to the center of the station then more steeply downwurcL to the south line Tile meunelevation in the soutlt line of wells is almost the sume as in the east line

In Il1uking these observutions as to the depth to w~ter in this group of welIsno uttempt has been made to record the Jnghest elClltions reached during any season The measurements Iltwe been l11ade at regular monthly prriods regardless of the time of irrigation or of other factors that might influence temporarily the clevlltion of the water tuble Alevicw of data from 111Ulnber of the weUs thf1t are located adjacent to cropped fields shows that during the summer months the season of act e crop grorh the distance from the grollnd surfaee to the wattr ttlbIe may be for several weeks at a time less thnll 3 feet that it is seldom 11101e tbnn 4 feet and in some plnces may be jess than 2 feet This prohably menns two things in respect to the root systems of the crop plants (1) Tllflt the active and functioning root system is eonlined to the shallow zone of soil above the water table often less than 3 fect deep nnd (2) that the root system is in dose contact with and must absorb wuter from tho 1ppll flingo of this

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

5 SUBSOIl WAJERS OF NEWLANDS STATmN

annual elevations for the wells of this group have been as follows 1931526 feet 1932633 feet 1933 644 feet and 1934 547 feet

Ithas beennoteel above that the ground surface of the station slopes to the south anel east from the northwest comer anel that one of the main cDnals of the district Tuns along its north line This would suggest that the gradient of the subsoil water would also be to the south and east It appealS however that this is not the case The highest mean elevations nre found notnt well no 1 at the northwest comer nor in any of tIle wells of the north line but in wells 6 and 12 in the second and third lines to the south In other words the higlJest elevation of the subsoil water occurs near tIle middle of the west side of the station A possible eq)lanation of the higher elevution in this areu particulnrlyat wells 6 und12 is tlHLt these wells ure located in an areu of relatively course sundy soil and contiguous to irrigation ditches One of them no 6 is dose to the LO lutelul and the other no 12 is near the fal1n ditch through which most of the irrigation wuter for the stution is carried

lABLE 2-The gradient of the sllbwil Water Newlnnds Field Staion mean elevashytions above dalII in Zine~ of wells jor the 4-yeQ1 1)()riod 1931-34shy

[Dalumlllfi() feet a)ov sell 1ee11

Norlh Wesl II Norlhmiddot 1C5t s~ulh Icnst lines Un JlO south cost lilies

I hues 11 lines

middot----1 I---~- -----shy Peet i Fcct I Feel Peet

~~=- fgi I g~i I L~ --1 Ug yeng~3_______ ~ _____ ~ ____ ~ ___ ~___ 570 n afJ I The data ill table 2 show thf1t on the basis of mean eleYation there

is a fuirly uniform grudient from west to east of approxill111tely 2 feet between lines 1 and 5 Tbis is equivalent to [L gradient of 4 feet per mile On the other hand tIle data of the wost-east lines show tbat the mean elevationin line no 1 the north line is lower than that of lines 2 or 3 witl) line 3 the highest Thus while there is a definite and consistent grtLdient from west to east the gmdieut is slightly upwurd from the north to the center of the station then more steeply downwurcL to the south line Tile meunelevation in the soutlt line of wells is almost the sume as in the east line

In Il1uking these observutions as to the depth to w~ter in this group of welIsno uttempt has been made to record the Jnghest elClltions reached during any season The measurements Iltwe been l11ade at regular monthly prriods regardless of the time of irrigation or of other factors that might influence temporarily the clevlltion of the water tuble Alevicw of data from 111Ulnber of the weUs thf1t are located adjacent to cropped fields shows that during the summer months the season of act e crop grorh the distance from the grollnd surfaee to the wattr ttlbIe may be for several weeks at a time less thnll 3 feet that it is seldom 11101e tbnn 4 feet and in some plnces may be jess than 2 feet This prohably menns two things in respect to the root systems of the crop plants (1) Tllflt the active and functioning root system is eonlined to the shallow zone of soil above the water table often less than 3 fect deep nnd (2) that the root system is in dose contact with and must absorb wuter from tho 1ppll flingo of this

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

--------------------------

6 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

water table Because of the close proximity of this subsoil Wl1ter to the zone of root activity it is evident that the conditions of plant growth ure affected by the character and concentration of theclisshysolved salts in the subsoil water It must be assumed that some of the water upplied to the soil surface as irrigation percoll1tes through the shl1llow root zone to mingle with the subsoil water l1nd tllat some of the salinity found in the subsoil wat()r is conveyed to it by the irrigation wuter percolating tlllough the soil of the root zone

QUALI1Y OF SUBSOIL WATER

In view of the probl1bility that the subsoil water of the Newlands Field Station originates from or is at least replenished by the irrigashytion water delivered to it or conveyed past it in unlined canals it seems proper to cOllsider lirst the quality of that irrigation water It has Jeen the practice for some YClLrs to anl1lyze u sample of the irrishygation water once each month dllling the irrigation season when water is in the canals In 193111nd again in 1934 the irrigation supply was inadequate for the latter part of the season and consequently fewer samples were taken during those years The samples have been taken from the lllain canrtlllCar the northwest corner of the station

The untllyses of the water samples have included the following determinations 2 (1) Specific electrical conductance expressed as I(x 105 ut 25deg 0 (2) boron concentration e-pressed as elemental boron in parts per million (p p m) (3) culcium (Oa) magnesium (Mg) carbonate and bicarbonute (OOa and HOOa) sulphate (S04) und chloride (Cl) each expressed as milligram equivalents per liter From the data lillder (3) the value of the alkali bases (flB) is comshyputed by difference between the sum of the anions (HCOa+ SOI + 01) and the sum of the detemlined cations (Ca+1tJg) Also from the same duta is computed the vulues for percent sodium and percent chlOlide The value for percent sodium is obtained by dividing the value of the sum of the cutions into the value of AJ3 multiplied by 100 The value for percent chloride is obtuined by dividing the vitlue of the sum of the anions into the value of the chloride multiplied by 100

TARLE 3-The quality of the irrigation Water 11scd at the jculands Field Station elming tile 5-11cILr 7)lliod 1980-84 I

I I i MiIligram cquimlents

I J(XI0 J(I(cntpercellt l__---_---_---_------------_Yeur ollIIlples ut 250 ( ])orou sodiwll chloride (II 1[g All nco S04 01

------1-------------------------shyJorullllur P1I1t

191o______________ JO 285 032 13 J5 1 12 I 1201 fiO 065 036 19n_________ ~ ____ 4 middot104 U8 44 W 2 -15 ~1 95 2 (iO 106 74 1932________ __ J 10 230 18 M 14 120 1 Uri 151 84 42 1D33_____ ___ ~ 7 154 2 olD 11 IG5 T lfi5 184 103 441 1034_____________ 4 10 a 13 50 ]6 171 025 20a 104 143 62

Monn______ ____ ____ J57 47 48 15 168 05 167 1 SS 100 52 i

1Annual moans o(sovornllUlUlysos by C L1Toon nt thoNcwJulldslulJorutor~bull bull J=trnee

1ho analyses o( tho irrigaion and suhsol wllters have heon modo by tho mothods descrihetl in tho (allowmiddot ing UillTEI1 STATES DEIAIlT~nNT m AGIlICUITtIlE BUIlEAU OlLANT INUUSTIlY ~IETlJOllS ClI ANALYSIS USED IN TlJE llUllllJOUX ]IOltATOIlY 1UVIlSIlH CA11POltN1A 11 Ill Hevisod 1I1nr 20 1033 [Mimoomiddot graphed]

EATON F Iv HOllON IN SOILS AND lIt1tlGATION middotWATEItS AND ITS ~fgCT ON lIANTS WITH IAHTICULAR llEFEIlENCE TO TilE SAN JOAQUIN VAL1EY 0 CAllltmiddotOltNIA U B Dept Agr Jceh Bull 448 132 Pl iIIus 11135

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

7 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION

The data of table 3 show that the water of the irrigation supply is of low salinity as compared with many of the irrigation supplies used in the western United States Its total dissolved solids e1gtressed as parts per million average about 2middot25 oj opproximately 035 ton per acre-foot The data of the individual analyses not here reported show that the quality of the water does not change greatly during any given irrigation season except thut during the seasons of water shortage there is an increase in concentration toward the end of the season when the reservoir is low and the Clbonk storuge is drawn upon The years of water shortage 1931 and 1934 ore those in which the salinity hos been higher than in 1930 and 1932 when the water supply was more abundant

In considering the quality of the subsoil water as found in the 25 wells of group 1 it scems advisable to summarize and condense the data The original detailed data include the ana]yses of 28 samples of water from each of the 25 wells or 700 samples in an The data here given Ilre limited to the llleans of these analytical results for certain periods and for certain groups of wellsand also they are limited to four of the chalactelistics that are regarded os hoving the most sigcentficance in resJgtect to the quality of the water T~ese charactenstlCs ore (1) Specific electncal conductance (EX 10 at 25deg C) which is a measure of the total concentration of the dissolved salts 01 electrolytes (2) boron which is found in some of these waters in concentrations high enough to be injlUious to some CTOP plants (3) percent sodium which expresses the rotio of the olkali bases to the total of the bases in the solution and indicotes the results of or the potentialities for the reactions of bose exchange thot ore causally Ielated to the physical condition of the soil ond (4) Clpercent chloride which e1gtresses the ratio of this constituent to the sum of the anions and is inlportant in some situations as an indication of changes in the quality of water that may occur os the lesult of the precipitation from solution of the bicarbonate and sulphote constitushyent as the salts of calcium which sa1ts are of relathrely low solubility

The first comparison to be made is that betweeD the quality of the inigation supply and of the subsoil water of the station as lepresented by the 25 wells of group 1 This comparison is shown in table 4 It appears thot in respect to total salinity as measured by conductance the subsoil wotel is 57 times as concentrated as the ilTigation woter while the boron eoneentration of the subsoil woter is 5 times as high as in the irrigation watcr In lespcet to Ilpercent sodium the subshysoil woter is substan tially bigher than the irrigation vater while in percent chloride the ditlerence is slight and probably not significant

TABLB 1-COIII7Jalison of the q1lality of the -irrigation water with tliat oj the mbsoil water oJ the NcwZand~ Field 81aUon

I JXIDj Horon ]r~lnt r ])rc~lfl nt 5deg ( SOdltltll chlorIde - ~---~--~-~--l---t ]gt1)711 ----- shy

Irri~lIlion wlllor _ _ _ _ an siD -Ii 411 0I 15 0Subsoil wulor _ - I 20(1 i 231l sr 0 10 U

t Mcllu of 35 IInulyscs 19aO-34 Mcun of 700 unlllyscs frolll 25 wells lJ1I-34

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

8 TECHNICAL BULLEIIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUHlURE

In tIlls comparison the facts in respect to the percent sodium merit comment The value for this charactmistic is much higher in the subsoil waters than it is in the llTigation water from which the subsoil waters UJe doubtless derived It is evident that a significant change in the salt content of the water in addition to concentration has occulTed in its passage from the llTigation canals to the subsoil A substantial propOTtion of the calcium has been removed from solution and its place has been taken by sodium The inference is that in the course of its percolation through the soil the irrigation water has not only been concentrated by evaporation and plant absorption but also thnt as a result of reaction of base exchange calcium has ~ been nbsorbud by the soil and sodium has been released into the soil solution It is possible of course that some of the salinity now found in the subsoil water was not brought in by the llTigation water but was deposited as the soil was l1tid down or brought in by Hood waters prior to the present period of irrigation Regard1ess of the source of this salinity the Jact remains that while the salinity of llTishygation wnter and of the subsoil water appear to be of the same type as judged by the percentage of chloride whieh would not be influenced by reactions with the soil they are clearly different as judged by the sodhull percentage in which reactions with the soil might be epected to operate

While there has been some difference in the successive y-ears in respect to the salinity of the irrigation vater there appears not to have leen any material or cOlTesponding change in the salinity of the subsoil water 1he drLta of table 5 show that the means of the analyses for each of the 4 yeaTS do not show any significant departure from the means for the 4-year period or any significant trends

TABLE 5-Comparison of quality of the subsoil1uaier Jor each oj -1 years as shown by means of analyses Jrom each oj the 26 wells of group 1 JTewlancls Field Station

y Ifl I IKXIO IJ II Pemmi Percent0

________c_nr_______ ~~~~~f Rodiulll chloride

]rllllbcr P 1) 111 I lJLocc oc JOO ~Ool 5 2 Oil sa IS

bullbull 0 bullbull _1912bullbullbullbullbullbull 0 175 1075 2middot11 I S5 14 11131 ___c_ ]00 210 i 25i h5 17 IO I~I - J l0 1

-r -II) r f) )t cc l Q

The wUter samples irom the individual wells of this group show that there is great diversity in the quality of the subsoil wnter within the tract The data of table 6 iUustnttie this diversity The water of weUno 4 is substnntiaUy of the same quality as the llTigation water while the water of well no 8 contains mom than 10 timcs as much salinity and boron as is found in the inigation snpply The data of this table represent the merrns of the analyses of 28 successive samples from each well coUeeted during a 4-year period An eXtlmlllation of the reports of tbe individual analyses shows that there have been Yariutions in the quality of the successive samples but with a few exceptions these yariations have not been great Nor do the yariashytions show any consistent trends within the time covered by the lecords

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLAJ~DS STAlION 9

TABlE (i-Arrangement of wells of group 1 Newlands Field Station with the It-year means of 4- characteristics of the 8uJsoilwater fro1lt each weill

Yell no ___________ _ _ _ ~ _ _ 1 2 3 4 5 I(XIO at 25deg C 81 Il 1135 105 S 15 I 570 Boronmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotmiddotbullbullbull bull P 11 ilL 7S 1 18 101 50 54 Percent sodium_ bullbullbullbull 01 0 S70 720 400 500 Pcrccntchloride 120 100 150 180 140

Veil no 0 7 8 9 10](XIOat 25deg Cmiddotmiddot 12middot10 ~4S0 4500 ~~19 0 7lnBoron p p 111 142 2 In 759 451 bull (13Percentsodium 7110 070 HiO 770 550Percent chloride litO iii 0 no 220 200 ell nobullbull_ 11 12 13 14 15XX10nt25deg C bull 2middot10 () 11100 21120 338 n 4080Boronbullbullbullbullbullbull p 11 III 2IS 1US 281 357 4 OilPercent sodium S50 oao H20 1)110 750Percent chloride 140 10n 20 () 240 2-10 ell no 1(1 17 18 10 20XXIOnt25deg C middot I~U 7 103 () 157~ 5 2720 2280Boron pplI 14X 574 136 284 215Percent sodium

~ - ~ - 10 III 0 D20Percen t chloride - ~ 17 () 110 120 080 l30

-yen JOO 150 ~ c1l no 21 22 21 24 25XX10 at 25deg C lrl52- 1470 3500 1()18 201 0Boron)1 p Ill bull bull SIT 1 n5 420 02 256Perccl1tsodium_ _ __ ~ ~_ ~ - - - 050 Ill 0 0110 1170 000Percent chloride -~- ~~-- 210 110 1110 210 230

t Analyses by C r Moou Xewhmds Illborllt()r~

Vllen this investigation was started and tlle differences in the quality of the water were obsclTed together with the finding that there was a pronounced gradient in the water levels from west to east it US thought tl1l1t there might be found to be a measuruble moyement of tlle subsoil water in the direetion of the steepestgludient and that the suecessive samples from the wells might show changes in the quality of the watrl by which it would be possible to determine the direction und estimate the mte of that movement The data so fUI assembled have not made such findings possible On the conshytmry the uyailuble evidence appealS to indicate thut the laterul moyeshyment of this body of subsoil water must be very slow if it occurs at all

A detailed study of the data on the quality of the water of the indi-]d unl wells obtained by 28 sliccessiYe samples covering the 4-yeal period appeulS to show tlmt the causes tbat eontribute to 11igh salinity at one well ancl low salinity at another are locol in character Notwithstuncling the fact that the whole body of subsoil water nppetlTS to be iiiterconnected anel that its seasonal chnnges in cleyashytionmay be us much as 3 to 4 feet and also that these changes in eleyation ale of the same mognitucle in wells around which no ir shyrigation water is applied there seems to be no appreciable lateral moyemen t

The data of table 6 show that not only are there wide differences between adjacent wrlis in Jespeet to totnl snlinity but also in )espect to the boron content of the water 1ior the mmiddoten us a whole these dil1erences in salinity do llOt appCfll to show Imy consistent trend except thnt the cOllcentrntions are definitely lower in tbe north li11e of wens than in any of the others This condition Jllny be due to the fact thnt this line of wells is pnrnllel to and less than 100 Ject south of the muin cunu] of the district rhis section of the cnnul is not lined and jt cnrlies water throughout the seaSOll when water is i1yail-

73[8G-IG_-2

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

10 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

able Wells 3 4 and 5 of this north line are located on a part of the station that has not been irrigated and the low salinity of the water may be due in part to the effect of seepage from the canal and in part to the fact that since no irrigation water has been used in that area there has been no percolating water to carry soluble salts from the surface soil into the subsoil water Furthermore there has been no accumulation of salts in this surface soil iro111 the evaporation or transpiration of irrigation water This may be the eJl-planation also for the low salinity and low boron content found in well no 10 which is also located in a part of the station that has not been irrigated

Attention is called to the relatively low magnesium content of these waters Table 3 shows that 101 4 of the 5 years reported the magshynesium content of the irrigation wutOI wus so low thnt it was reported as a trace As a matter of fact in a number of the individual analytshyicalreports the magnesium was given nszero In the detniled analyses of the subsoil waters there are also a large number in which the magnesium content is reported as zero or a tmce On the other hl1lld the samples from some of the wells of this group contained measurable quantities of magnesium and in generul when this conshystituent occurs it occurs consistently in the samples from that well

THE WELLS OF GROUP 2

The wells of group 2 are located ndjacent to plots 10 to 18 of series o (fig 1) These plots are 681 feet long and 62 feet wide with an area of 097 acre There are 18 wells in this group arranged in two lines running from west to east The north line is 102 feet south of the north border of the series and the south line is the same distance north of the south side Each well is set in the levee that bounds or separates the plots so that the wells in ench line are 62 feet apart and the two lines are 477 feet apart Yell no 10 of this group is the same as well no 17 of group 1 and during the first few months of the inshyvestigation well no 12 of group 1 was used as well no 1 of this group and wells 2 and 3 of this group were in temporary locations 102 feet north of their present positions The temporary use of these three wells (until March 1933) was necessary becnuse when the other wells of this group were established leveling operations in the northwest corner of the area had not been completed

These plots were laid out in the spring of 1932 lhe chief objective for their use was to expelimenjj with manuring and pastming as a method of building up the fertility of the deselt soil Incidental to these ell-pcriments it was the aim to obtain datn as to the position and quality of the subsoil water prior to and during the progress of the experiments The observations on the wells of group 1 had shown that wIllie the cleYation of the subsoil water fluctuated similarly in adjacent weUs there were great differences in the salinity and boron content between them By placing wells much closer together it was hoped that more definite information could be obtoined as to the differences of the snlinity of this body of subsoil water that appears to be interconnected Also it was hoped to continue the observations long enough to observe the changes that might occur in the salinity of the subsoil water as the result of irrigation l1lld crop production The obseryations as to the elevation of the subsoil water and as to its quality were begun in the sununer of 1932 Irrigation and cropping were begun the same year

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

SUBSOI1~ W AfERS OF NEWLANDS SlATION 11

The arrangement of the wells of group 2 is shown in table 7 and also the relative positions of the adjacent wells of group 1 Well no 10 of group 2 is identical with well no 17 of group 1 The data show also the mean elevations of the subsoil water at each well for the 24 monthly observations of the 2-year period 1933-34 The mean elevashytion for the period is 687 feet Also there is given for each well the mean annual range of elevation i e the change from the lowest observed elevation in early spring to the highest elevation in the following summer The mean annual range in elevation is 199 feet The data for mean eleY(ltions show that the conditions within the field are remar]mbly uniform The grftdient from west to east in the north line of wells nos 1 to 9 is 109 feet in a distunce of 558 feet In the south line of wells nos 10 to 18 the grudient in the same direcshytion and distance is only 025 foot The mean gradient from north to south between the wells of the two lines is 047 foot in a distance of 477 feet In respect to the seasonftl range in eleyution it is to be noted the range is greater in the north line of wells thun in the south line

ELEVATION 0 SUBSOIL WATEU

TABLE 7-Armngcmel1t of Ute wells oj gron1) 13 Ncwland~ Jiidd Station and oj the adjacent wells of group 1 wilh the 2-ycar mean elevation oj fhe SUbS01l water at each well and tlte 2-ycar mean annual range oj dellation

[Ground surfnClI ruuges from 108( to 11lt15 feet Datull1 IIl50 feet boo sell leel] Well no _________ bull__ bull _ __ l2 113

~ fcan elemtioll __ feeL_ 7 middot19 0n3 11 enn annual runge (o __ ~ a 10 205 ell no_______________ 1 2 3 4 5 0 8 U Mean clcvation fcrl i 0 i58 i51 744 004 nsl 0 iU (I5fl 004 lIfean allnunl runglUlo 352 Ufi a17 3bullbull55 247 27 220 210 1 117

Well no ______ _ 10 12 H 16 18 lIS11 J3 15 17 Meuu elevation _ bull feel [i Sol ( 7J 673 nOo nM fl 58 0middot9 II~S O5U 04() -[eRB annual tlU](C do _ 1-[0 (32 t27 1 l7 1 ~)+J 1bull22 122 l~ 22 142 1 SO

I Adjacent wells of proup 1

The elevation of the ground surface of this urea ranges from 1085 feet above datum at the southeast corncr to 1195 Jeet fit the northshywest cornel Tbus it is appn1cnt thnt during the summer months when the elevation of the subsoil watel is up to or nboYe tbe annual mefLIl the 1I11satumtecl Toot zone 01 the soil is less than 4 feet deep With the subsoil wfLtel so close to or ncturtlly invading the root zone it is important to considcr the qunlity of thfLt wutcr

QUAUTY OF SUBSOil WAlIm

The subsoil water of this lrCfL was snmpled for analysis 14 times in the years Ul32-34 A SUllll1ULry of tbe results of these analshyyses is shown in table 8 The wells of this group were sampled four times in 1032 six times in 1933 and fOlll timcs ill 1934 During 1932 when the field wns first irrign ted the concentmtioll of the subsoil water as measUled by conductance was substantinlly higher thall during the two subsequent yellls 1he boron concentration wus ulso l1igher during 1932 By comparing the data of table 5 with those of table 8 it may be seen that the conccDtrations of snlinity and of boron were somewlwt higher ill the wclls of group 2 than in the wells of group 1 The percent sodium was nlso somewhlLt higber but tbe percent chloride was about the samo

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

12 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPl OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE S-Comparison of quality of the subsoil water for each of 3 years as shown by the means ofanalyses from each of the 18 wells of group 2jield 1( of the Newlands Field Station

Year or ]Jerioltl

IKXJO nL I PereenL PcrrcntI

Sumplcs __25_0_c__1_30_r_ol_l_1__SO_i1_iU_m__cJ_li_Of_id_C_

Nltlllcb 3i51 P ll~o1032bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull Ofgt 19 103 _ _ bullbull _bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull lOS 200 448 02 15 1113lt1 i2 20middot1 350 03 10

In considering the quality of tl1(~ water sampled from the wells of group 1 it was pointed out that there were ])ronounced differences in the concentmtion of salts in adjacent wells that were 600 feet apurt Vith the wens of gronp 2 there is opportunity to obselTe the difiershyenees in concentmtion that are found in wells that arc only ()2 feet apart and in whieh similarity of behavior with respect to the seasonal fluctuation of water level appears to indicate that the subsoil water is interconnected throughout t11e area whieh these wells represent The conditions of salinity in the wells of group 2 are shown in table 9 whkh includes also the comparable data for the three adjacent wells of group 1 The data of this table show that the differences in salinity and in boron content among the wells of this group are quite as great as they are among the wells in group 1 ~hele are however rather smaller differences between adjncent wells here 62 feet apart than occur between adjacent wells of group 1 that are 600 feet apart

TABLE 9-- irrangcment of the wells of group 2 field X Ncwlands F1eld Sin lion and of t e acUacenl toells of grOUT) 1 with the 3-ycllr means (June 1932 to Dece1llshyber 1934) of four characteristics 0 Ihe subsoil waters from eClch weill

O-cll no __ ~~_~~_ _ __ ~ 12 2]3 I(XIO lit 25deg (Jloron _ p p ilL JorcentsoiliuIlL

JODO J03

03

2920 283

02 IercollL chloritle JO 20

Wellno_ _ 1 2 4 5 o 7 8 o JeXIOI nt 2U C_ BoronpPIl1 Pcrc~llt sodiulI1 _bull ~ w_ Iereon cbloride

520 ~O

5S 10

iLS 03

97 14

10i9 122

lIl 17

J950nu

U7 20

2middotJ9a 1 93

07 21

a930 5 flO

07 23

4425 ijmiddotl

99 18

0123 ilS

98 21

Well no __bull 10 11 12 13 14 15 IG 17 J8 18 J(Xj0511t25CjC~ __ ~ A _

Boron J) 1 HI JorCMt sodiullL bullbull lerccuL chloride bull bull

3103 O J5

117 12

IH2fj Hmiddot1- OU 17

aaS2 ~(jS

OS JS

2527 501

lO 12

2077 748

99 10

1497 Jrl

jj lr

2(i2 201

Sf) 10

4147 495

0( 10

2501 203

81 15

1575 1 36

92 12

I AIllllscs hy ( ] lIoon Xewlunl~ lgtljltlrntorr 2 Adjacent woll$ of n()UP J for wl1k-h Ow dutn rcprCSlDt -Imiddotyear means Jho data for wells 1-3 ure for tbe

period sineo llur 20 1033 when these weBs were set ill their proplr llosiLlolls

ith these wells situated only 62 feet apurt in earh of the two lines it should be possible by taking surcessiyo samples of the subsoil water from each of them to detcrmine whether or not there is anymeasurshyable lateml mOVe1l1Cl1 t of this subsoil water in the direction of its steepest gradient It has been shown in tuble 7 thatin the north linc of wells nos 1 to 9 there is a gradient in the mcan eleyation of approxill1lttcly 1 foot in 500 01 of 10 feet per mile If there is ameasshyumble lateml1l1ovemcnt of the subsoil water in the direction of that gradient it should he shown by chfin~es in the quality of the water obtained by successive samples rable 10 shows the data in respect to salinity as measured by conductance and boron content of 16

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

13 SUBSOIL W NlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

successive samples from each well of this group for the 3-year period from June 1932 to May 1935 It should be noted that the first three wells of this group were not placed in their proper locations until March 20 1933 Therefore the first five samples reported in the table for these wells represent the conditions of subsoil water in an area about 100 feet north of that represented by the subsequent samshyples In the case of all three of these wells it will he observed thnt the concentration values nre higher for the first fi ve samples and this is particularly striking for well no 3

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

--------------- -----------------

I-TABLE IO-Conductance and boron content of sllccessive samples from the wells of group 2 Newlands Field Station JoIlo

Wellno6 ell no 7 Wellno8 ell no 9Well no 5Yell no 1 Well no 2 Well no 3 Wellno4 ~ 1

Date KX1O KXIOS KXIOSKXIOKXlOs EXIOS KXIO KXIO Doron Doron Doron nt250 C DoroXXIO Boron Doron Boron at25deg C nt25deg CBoron Boron at 25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg C nt25deg O nt25deg C ~

1-1--------------------- ()

Pp711 Pp7II Pp 1932 PplII Pp71I PpTn

212 2ltJ4 1middot1i 158 1 04 564 320 775 980 566 4_ o ~Pp71I P 1l Tn Pp7II June 24- ________ _ 102 093 237 067 1678 74 25 107 555 441Aug 18___________ 107 1204 71 95 180 106 28middot1 1 17 153 1 middot19 532 420 519 bI Oct 20____________ 120 91 227 2 ]2 383 182 cj87 95 137 643 567 441 592 626 6 iiigt

969 96 147 1 65 863 4100 336 236 430 687 503 1305 910 5Dec 20_____________ 1740 101 180 180 2501020 95 159 127 721

1933 395 611 1552 843 6 2183 212 305 401 210 387 ~ lfnr28____________ 63 101 134 252 445 234 8Jan 31 ____________ 174 109 156 116 625 2815 137

207 247 1 97 408 605 846 7 486 42 574 103 732 312 3216 1 70 16-8 1 25 280 225May 26 ____________ 625 6-1 363 58 12middot1 1 08381 48 659 74 417 560 952 10July 28_____________ 53 608 71 116 1 23 173 122 304 555 Z 41 1 52 636 73 667 648 10Sept 28____________ bull 78 fi27 97 658 76 546 552 166 247 290 1397 340 412 c37 9 37 648 322 9

fh12 30 102 1 2middot1 91 115 211 1 50 469 1165 575 1215 ~No 14_______ 721 2-1 746 43 ~

1934 765 Smiddotj 272 72 266 232 469 1007 373 910 538 12 Jnn 31 __ bull ____ bullbull _ 5middot19 47 831 35 583 47 9 June 14- ____ -- 468 45 609 63 303 505 405 4438 41 1330 73 131 160 184 1 77 2middot17 197 333 475 563 cj

100 978 Iil 295 315 315 605Sept20_bullbull ____ _ 81 7 Oi middot726 41 750632 55

780 99 128 261 269 1 80 2S0 300 310 563 634 4 UlDec 31____bull _____ g1 2 27 704 67050 62 1935 119 1 67 274 185 266 6middot 315 270 8middot4 12 tjMar8___ -_- ___ bull 69_4 ii --II 0 60 117 lil U2 87

231 342 2-15 147 342 4690 53 912 124 200 205 tIMay 2L __ _ - 318 _50 48j 39 664 73 I ~

o 1 gt

~ () cj

~ ~ tj

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

Wcll no 10 Well no 11 Wcll no 12 Well no 13 Wellno] Well no 15 Well no 16 Well no Ii Well no 18

Dute J(XIO

nt25deg C Doran KX10 nt25deg C Doran

KXIOI nt 25deg C Doran

KXlO at 25deg C Doran KXlO

at 2deg C Doran KX10 at 25deg C Doran TX10

at 25deg C Doran KX10 at25deg C Boron J(X10

at25degC Boron -- shy -------------- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy -- shy

1932 Jnne 24bullbullbull Aug 18 __ Oct 26 __ Dec 20bullbullbullbullbullbull__

1133 Jan3L_ llnr2L lIay 26bullbull _ July28bullbullbull __ bull Sept 28bullbull NO14 __

1D34 JUll 31 __ June 14bull _ __ Sept 20 ______ bull _ Dec 31____

lIl35

421 middot107 li5 312

2iQ 338 277 307 303 338

342 225 2middot18 165

Ppm 303 334 44i 580

702 750 235

1025 005 755

930 650 567 170

Oi9 339 431 915

1282 1009

2middot0 205 24-1 middot172

661 775 301 321

Ppm 21 03 501 1975 436 2fI22 335 2775 345

2565 384 1862 3~Il 330 295 250 505 440 207 970 2middot16

1280 middot11-1 1307 100 a25 100 370 2liO

Ppm 883

2750 1607 1055

802 0 95

1502 610 587 357

270 157 1 77 2$0

296 175 225 2-13

242 224 187 210 237 271

362 239 2U8 318

Pl1m 1030 1037 672 420

362 702 418 455 307 255

270 300 375 248

3i8 238 237 268

288 306 134 238 852

398

317 247 281 282

pm 8 i3 675 080

1005

1000 822 140 397 1middot10 857

1010 315 442 580

420 480 491 51 0

523 682 445 628 71 5 778

889 506 435 321

PpTn 052

62 76 96

65

91

46

56

61

99

60 065 152 300

363 210 218 200

336 304 280 276 200 212

193 226 2U5 317

Pl1Tn l52 101 127 187

252 268 2 J2 252 227 205

1 55 130 160 297

175 573 559 558

014 439 318 313 264 332

421 l34 476 3l2

PpTn 485 740 660 585

487 400 595 500 1 22 512

395 287 357 452

465 350 428 2middot18

297 232 142 140 142 168

175 198 125 316

Ppm 270 338 555 342

482 340 185 210 202 237

245 207 145 310

sect rJl o t

~ 1-3 l1 55 o J

Mnr Roo - lltly 27_ __

Jii 2middot17 j

253 2U7

250 523

3middot15 585

2St 257

1middot13 187

293 207

411 1middot12

303 201

776 U (iU

280 58 I

270 500

312 238

270 2l2

385 174

262 1 77

317 12J

342 150

~ --~-- ~

~ ti rJl

rJl

~ ~ o Z

I- c

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

16 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICUVlUREl

The mean values for the concentration of salinity as shown in table 9 increase from wells 4 to 9 ExaminlLtion of the data Jor wells 4 and 5 in table 10 show that the concentrations in the successive sampleR are extremely variable The successive slLmples from wells 7 to show much less varilLtion in concentration and the values are much -higher In respect to the nine wells of the north line it nppears that the samples from the first three wells are consistently low in concentration being but little higher than the irrigation Witter The successive samples from the next two wells nos 4 and 5 show wide variations in concentration with mean values for the period that are intermediate between those for wells 1 to 3 ~lU(l wells 7 to 9 The last three wells in this line show about the same degree of variation in the successive samples as the firs~ three wells 1gt11 tthe concentrations are high The implicution is thllt wells 4 and 5 nod possibly nlso well 6 nre located in nn areu in which at times there is an iuvusion of subsoil wuter of low salinity from the west nne nt other times an invasion of water of higher salinity from the east or possibly front the north In allY event there is a pronounced diffeJcnee in the salinity and boron content of the subsoil water between wens 3 and 7 In a distance of 250 feet the mean conductanee values change from 64 to 400 and the boron content from 056 to 500 p p m

In this connection it should be noted thlLt in the part of the area which includes wells 1 to 4 the subsoil is a coarse sand while in the remaining portion of the area the texture of the subsoil is muchfiner and includes StratlL of silt or clay Along the west side of the area where the irrigation ditch is located the coarse sandy subsoil comes close to the suriaee of the ground These conditions may account for the low salinity found in these wells and also for the greater annual range in elevation shown in table 7

The subsoil water as represented by the wells of the south linel nos 10 to 18 is rather less variable in concentration than that represented by the wells of the north line Not only is tbere less variation in the mean concentrations shown in titble 9 but in geneml there is less variiLtion in the concentration of the successive samples from each well 1be1e is one weIll however no 15 which is exceptional During the first 2 years of tIle period of observation the concentration of its water wus low Then followed four successive samples with higher concentmtion and fU1Ul1y in the sample of IIay 1935 the conshycentnLtion was agnin low

The evidence is not detUmiddot as to the cause of the abrupt elltlDge in the cm1centration of the Stlbsoil wflter that oecurred at well 110 15 between January and June 1934 nnd again betwoen ~Jnl(h Hl1d May 1935 It is possible thlLt tl1ese dmnges indicate a lLteral nl0vement of subsoil water but on tIle other hanel it is possible thut the conditions of irrigation were such that soluble snIts thut may blwe accumulated previously in the soil ill the vicinity of the well wem lellched down into the subsoil yater thus incrensino- its concentmtion for a time and thatsubscquent contimlCd percolation of the irrigation Vater again diluted the $ubsoilwlIter In any event a persistent 11nd recurshyring condition of low salinity occurs in the subsoil WHter at weUuo 15 with conclitions of much lligher salinity obtaining in the wells on either side oJ it and only 62 feet nWlIY

Taking this field and its group of wells as a whole j t is to be observed that the subsoil water during the summer is within less than 4 feet of

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS STATION 17

the ground surface that much of this subsoil water contains such high concentrations of dissolved suits and of boron as to be injurious to crop plants and tbat there is no conclusiye evidence of a measurable lateral movement of this subsoil water eyen though its mean eleyashytions indicate a gradient from west to east of approximately 10 feet to the mile

THE WELLS OF GROUP 3

The wells of group 3 arc located in a series of plots that have been designdted the Y series3 Tius series is located parallel to but some distance north of the south line of the field stution (fig 1) Plots 2 to 12 occupy the west end of this series the plots being numbered from west to east The plots ure 243 feet long from north to south and 85 feet wide it well is located near each corner of each plot in line with the borders between the plots but about 10 feet outside the plots The wells are therefore in two lines about 260 feet apart and 85 feet apart in each line They are numbered consecutively from 1 to 12 in the north line and from 13 to 24 in the south line beginning at the west end of the series in both cases

The open (LD) drain runs frolllnorth to south along the west side of the fIeld station to the southwest corner where it turns eust and follows the south line of the station The drain thus passes close to plot 2 at the west end of the Y sCIies and then about 340 feet south of the south side of the series The plots of the Y series vere leveled and prepared for irrigation in the winter of 1907-8 During the early years of use the soil was refractory and crop growth was uneven and ~enerally unsatisfactory In recent years these conditions have Improved materially

The 24 wells of this group were first establisned in August 1922 The observations as to the elevation of the subsoil water have been made each week or oftener since that date except for a period of 10 weeks in the winter of 1930 The wells were at first located on the borders between the plots and about 4 feet in from each end of the borders In the spring of 1928 they were reset The wells of the south line were then moved to a line about 10 feet SOL h of the ends of the borders while the north wells were moved to a corresponding line north of the north ends of the borders Since 1928 each well has been pmuped out once a month to insure free contnct with the surrounding subsoil water

ELEVATION O~ SUBSOIL WATER

The data of tnbIe 11 give iL condensed history of the elevation of the subsoil water in this iLnin for the period 1923 to 1934 inclusive

The LD drnin (fig 1) wns constructed to its present depth in the spling of 1923 Prior to its construction the eleviLtion of the subsoil water was lugher than it Jll1S been since This is evidenceclby the fact that the mOHn mininullu elevation of the wells for 1923 (the lowest e1evation Tencheci in emmiddotIY spring) is slightly higher than the lllean elevation for the yenr The dmin beelune effective in May of that veal and its efJect is shown by the low minimum elevation of the following year 1924 as well ns by the low mean elevation for that year

J Ille conditiol1O( tho subsoil waler In this series of Vlos for 1022 wero described by Scofield Seo footshynoto

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

18 TECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Since 1923 the genernl trend of the mean annual elevation has been upward except for the years 1931 and 1934 when there were shortages of irrigation water The LD drain was cleaned in November 1934 This cleaning together with the water shortage during the season resulted in the spring of 1935 in lowering the elevation of the subsoil water in the wells of tlis group to 375 feet above datum the lowest point reached during the period of record

TABLE 11-jVlean annual elevation mean minimum elevaton and mean annual range in elevation of the 8ubsoil water in the 24 wells of group 3 Newland Field Station 1923-34

[DatulTl a05O feeL ahove sell IOel]

Yeur [cannIlIlunl

elcmtion

Melln minimuIIl

elovumiddot tion

Menn nnDunl

runge in clevnmiddot tion

Yeur [euuannuol

elavation

[ennminimum

elevumiddot tion 1

Menn lnnunl

range in elevamiddot tlon

I

i----- shy -- shy

----11921bullbull __ bullbullbullbull __ bull 1925 _ 1926 - 192i 1928 1920

Feet 6 4 540 5726 1)

035 002 630

FccL 034 442 446 504 501 5 i8 554

Fed 100 205 281 243 283 2~ 75 202

I FeeL FeeL 1910 1 O i9 499 JUIl --1 606 565 11132_ 659 4 i5 1911 i04 fl 24 1034 __ 590 58l

middotrG30~Ireun

FeeL 339 192 344 186 109

2 31

1 Lowest elemtion reached in the curly sprin~ Itange from the 10 of earl) spring to the high of th~ following summer

Table 12 gives the menn elevation of the subsoil wuter for each well bilsed on weeldy observntions for the 12-year period The mean elevation for the whole group for the period is 631 feet above datum and the mean annual rnnge in eleyution for the individual wells from the low point in early spring to the high point in the follow-inO summer is 240 feet This vnlue for the range in elevation is slightly higher than the correspondingvfIlue given in table 11 because this is the mean for the individual wells while the other is the mean of the weeldy observations on the well5 of the whole group

TABLE 12-A1rangement (~r 11clls of group 3 Newlands Fpoundeld Station with 12-year mean elevation of subsoil waler and mcan annual range in elevation

[Dntum 3950 fllut lbove sen level Ground elevation ruuges fr01l1 ]018 to 1122 feet ubov datum)

Well no bullbull bull I 2 3 4 5 Ii i 8 9 10 Il 12 llenu elevntion_~_ ~ _~_reet ~ 020 7 2Q 6 51 646 O 53 O COO 6 51 644 048 6 51 6li Ii 45 lIcaD annuul rllugc___ _do~_ 1 i6 305 2 3middot1 2 20 2 6-1 3 02 3 32 322 3 50 340 284 2 79

Vel1 no 13 1-1 15 16 Ii 18 19 20 21 22 21 24 euIl elemtioIl__ feo~ 023 637 021 O 15 O JI O 12 598 000 050 5 S3 5 SU 5 69 eun annual rungedo 182 197 1 U8 199 2 13 2 19 2 11 19i 2 28 1 i9 10i 1 62

It will be observed that the data for the mean elevn tion of the su bshysoil water in these two lines of wells do not show a uniform gradient from west to east In the north line the highest value is at well no 2 while in the south line the mean 31evations at wells 14 and 21 are appreciably higher thun in the adjncent wells It is probable that the lower elevations in wells 1 and 13 may be due to the proxirnityof the LD drain N otwithstnnding these and other irregularities there appears to be a slight gradient from west to east There is unquesshytionably a gradient from north to south The mean elevation in the

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

19 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS 8rATION

south line of wells is 044 foot lower thanin the north line This is equivalent to 9feet per mile which is approx-imntely the same gradient as exists between lines 4 and 5 (west-east) of the wells of group 1 (table 2) where there is amiddotdiflerence of 09 foot in elevation in a distance of 600 feet

The data in respect to the mean annual ran~e in elevation as given in table 12 merit consideration The mean of the values shown in the table is 24 feet This is the mean of a series of means in which the individual values range from 162 to 350 The ran~e for individual wells for any single year is of course much wider bemg from 01 foot in well 21 in 1923 to 60 feet in wen 10 in 1930 It is to be noted that the mean range is higher in the north line of wells 284 feet than in the south line 196 feet This diflerenee may be due in part to the

fact that the wells of the north line are set elose to the irrigation diteh that supplies water to this area

In respect to conditions in this arcn as a whole it may be noted that with the ground surface at an elevation of approximately 107 feet above datum the surface of the subsoil water has a mean elevation of 63 feet with a mean arulUal mnge in elevation of 24 feet Conseshyquently the unsaturated zone of the soil has been during the summer or growing season but little more than 3 feet deep vVith the water table so close to the surface of the ground it is apparent that the roots of most crop plants must be in eontaet with that water or must have their downward distribution in the soil limited by its presence

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

Observations concerning the quality of the suhsoil water represented by the 24 wells of group 3 hnYc heen carried on since 1922 Certain changes in the program of sllmpling the wells and in the methods of determining the salinity of tbe sl~mples ere made in 1927 The present program follmved since 1928 is to measure the depth to water in each well each week and 011ee a mon th to elmw fl sample of the water for IL deternrinution 01 its electricu conductance Sinee November 1930 it has been the pnwtiee to pump out each well after measuring the depth to wnter the eek before the sample is taken for the conductanee determinntion Prior to 1928 the snmples were taken less frequently but it is helieyed thnt the earlier (bta as too salinity Me fwceptable for 00mparison with the Intel data The water samples from jhe wells of this group lliwe Bot regularly been analyzed to determine the tlrious saH constituents

The data in table 13 show the eonditions 01 sfllinity of the subsoil water for this group of wells 101 eneh year from 1922 to ] 934 For convenience in subsequent eonsiderntioll the means nre shown for the wells of Olwh line for each yenr as well itS for the whole group Also the melLllS are shown for the 6-yenr perioel 1922-27 and for the 7-year period 1928-34 ilS well as the 1lI0l1ns for the whole period The data of this titble inclienLe that there has been a downward trend in the salinity of the subsoil wItter since 1922 The change has been greater in the north line of wells near the irrigntion ditcl1 than in the wells of the south line The mean eonc1uetance for n1124 wells for the 13-year period hilS been 256 while the mean for the same group for the last 7-year period has been 221

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

20 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

TABLE 13-Mean anmlal conci1lCtance (KX105 at 25deg 0) of each of the two lines a wells of group 3 Ncwiands Field Station 1922-34

Year Wells 1 to Wells 13 to Wolls 1 to 12 24 24

1022bullbull_________bullbullbullbullbullbull __ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull _ 201 123 l()7 Hl23bullbullbullbull _____bullbull__ bullbull_bullbullbullbullbullbull -bullbullbullbull_bullbull____bullbull_ __ _ ____ _ l30 a~2 350 192-1bullbull__bull____bullbullbull_bull__ bullbullbullbullbull_bullbullbull__bullbull___ bullbullbullbullbullbull______bullbull_bullbullbull _ J2i 1 351 339 1925bullbullbull_____bull___bullbull_bullbullbullbull __ bullbull__ ___bull_______________________ bullbullbullbull _ IS7 30i 24i 1020___ ____ ___ bullbull_ __ bullbull_____ bull____ ___bull __bull______ _bullbullbullbull i 2W 2111 202 1927------------------ ------ -_~ _______________________________ ___~~____~1~__--=~n

r~=~~~~~~---1 ~ i- ~ 1011 bullbullbullbull_____________ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull__bullbullbull______bullbullbullbull 1 150 2i2 211

t~=========l---~~ ___~ ____~ la-year Illenu ----- - -- ----- --- --- - _-- -- -- --- --- -------- t 216 21li I 250

The arrangement of the wells of this group is shown in tuNe 14 and for each well there is given the salient Jaets in Jes)Jeet to slLlinity conshyditions during the 7-yeiLrpeliod 1928-34 Itwill be observed that not only nre there wide diflerenees in the snlinity (onditions at the severa wells us expressed by the mean eoncluctnl1ee but also thut there hnvc been changes in conditions of snJillity Itt each well ns is shown by the difrerences betmiddotween the mnximuIll iLnd minimum anllual means The range of difference ill eoncluetanee among the indiyiehllll determinations from each well have been of course much greater than the diHerenees in the annual means

lABLE 14--trranlemcnl of the 1uells of group 3 NewZ(lIId8 Fteld Station 1cith 7-lIear mean conductances ueXl05 ai 2deg 0) at each well tOlether wUh 1I(ximll1lland 7nilimu7l~ annual means dtLring that lJeriod

Well no_bullbullbull _ 110 wrenn conc1uctunce ___ _ 1207 1 17

lOa 1111 no bullbullbullbull __ bullbull _bullbullbullbull _bullbullbullbull 1 2 4 3 5 0 S 91lcnn conduclaJ1ce~ __ l-~(] 10 ll I704 4~3 a23 100~[nxilllllm IlIlJ1Un) menu_ ilia

8i4 1l20 93 U 104 157 158 liS 8120 S80 48i Z10 193 1)lt)shy7U a 145 2iU it-llHinimurn nnllunl nwnu 137 -Il4 2i5 228 145 Mi 4 55 -- 136lil i Oil 5 433 125 555

Woll no _bullbullbullbull_bullbull __ bullbullbullbull ll 14 15 10 17 HIMeu cOllduclulleo _____bull 18 20 21 22 2J 242i4 102 fj~8 1015 lOCi fi 201 228 lIIS 164~IlXimlllll nnlluolIlenn_ 387 IUS 92middot 10 120 2middotlQ 241 277 487 3(i9

1finilUllIU annual mean IIlO 225 l2l 501 Ill 2 alll 24 a05 701 545lfiO 115 81 0 1-15 211 375 20~

1Adjllncnt wells of group I

The diflelenccs in the snEni ty of the subsoil water iLre very gren t even between wells that are only 85 Jeet upnrt FUJthCrmole these difrelences may be persistent oer periods ns long ns 7 ~yetlls SpeshyejfjcnJly in the cuse 01 we]] no 2 it is shown thnt the mean eonducshytnJlce 101 the 7-year period is 704 while for wells 1 and 3 situated on either side 01 it alld only 85 feet awny the meanconductnnces are 280 und 423 respectively The highest lJlC111 lUUllll11 conductance for middotwell no 2is much Jower than tIlt lowest mean ilJlllllUl conductance of the middotwe1lC 011 either side 01 it These contrasts in the conditions of

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

21

SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SIAlION

salinity have been maintained notwithstanding the fact that the elevation of the subsoil water fluctuates annually by as much as 2 or 3 feet and also that there is some basis for the view that there is some lateral movement of this subsoil water into the adjacent open drain

A comparison of the data of table 14 on salinity conditions with the data of table 12 on elevations shows that in general the wells having low saIinity are the ones that llfiye tIle higher mean annual ranges of elevation The inference seems wananted that these wells that show low conductfLnce and the higher allll1ULl fluctuation of water levels are located in mells where the soil is more readily permeable to water than it is in the adjacent areas where the conductances are higher and the uunual fluctuation of water levels are less

In a number 01 the wells notably in nos 2 6 7 8 10 12 and 16 tbe conductance of the subsoil water llUs been at times very EttIe higher than that of the irrigation nter The fact that six of the seven wells enumerated nre in the north Hila of tbis group of wells and are thus close to the irrigation ditch thnt supplies this field suggests that there mny be enough percolation from this ditch in some plnces to dilute the subsoil water mnteriaLly It seems probnble also that most of such Juteral movement as does occur in the body of subsoil water tllkes Jlnce through the mOTe Jermeable portions of the soil The actual movement of water iuyolved ill hydrostntic changes thllt TesuJt in the chnn~es of water leyel hl the aretlS of less permeable soil may be of smnll extent The movement downwnrd through the soil of the water applied to the smfllce ns hTigation must proceed much more rapidly ill some Brens than in otbers Likewise the rute of pereoIntion from the irrigation clikh must be mnch greater in tllOse sections of the ditch that nre in permeable soil tllllIl in the sections where the soil is more compaet 01 more defoceuJated The detailed study of the water-len1 recolCls oIthc indiyidual wells shows that after the irrigation wnter is turned into the ditehes in the spring the subsoil wuter rises J1lueh more rupic1ly lll some welIs thall in others It is noted that it is the wells showing the quickest rise oJ water level tl1Ht also bnyc wutel of low conductance

Ll considering tllC sulinity conditions in this group oJ wells ns a wbole and for the whole of the pcriod oJ observation it be(omes evident thut the concentration of salts in the suusoil wntcl bas tended to decline mther tlwn to inerease This tendellltY ]HlS been Il1l1eh more pronounced ill the wells of the north line tllflll in those of the south Jine The inference is that witlt the (OlltiDllCd nnd copious usc of irrigation nter smd with an outlet thlOugh the dlairutgc system them may be n continuing if slow r0111ovn1 of the silline suusoil wnter It seems evident that the lemovnl of the more snline subsoil wnter and its replacement by bettcr wnter might be hastened by the more libernl use of ilrigntion wHtm in tiJclRe areas wherc the snJinity is now highest In some of tbe arCllS of tllis field the sftlinity of the subsoil water is so loW that it CiLllllOt be rcgnrtleJ fl inj ueious 10 crop phnts In other mCflS where Hs eonduetullCc llemgcs 400 01 more it is unquestionably injurious and its leplacelllent by local leaching is to be recommended

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

r

22 lECHNICAL BULLETIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

THE WELLS OF GROUP 4

The wells of group 4 12 in number are located near the corners of fiYe haH-acre plots nos 19 to 23 of the Y series These five plots have the same shape and dimensions as plots 2 to 12 of the same series described in connection with the wells of group 3 Igtlot 19 lies 510 feet east of plot 12 The wells are located at each corner of each of the five plots They were established in the summer of 1932 and since that time the water elevations have been measured each month and water samples have been taken less frequently

Prior to 1932 and since the plots were first leveled in 1908 attempts have been made from time to time to grow crops on this land These attempts have not been successful because of the refraetory physical condition of the soil in some plaees und of high salinity in others Coincidental1y with the establishment of the observation wells in 1932 a program of Jeclamation was inaugurated for these plots inshyvolving chiefly the use of gypsum and farm manurc together with the copious use of irrigation Witter The ground surfaee elevation of these plots ranges from 911 to992 feet above datuIll

ELEVATION OF SUBSOIL WATER

For the 2 years 1933 und 1934 the mean elcvation of tIle subsoil water in these 12 wens has been 513 feet aboye datum with a mean annual runge fTOm the Jow of early spring to the high or midsummer of 109 feet Thus Lhe depth of the unsatmuted root zone during the growing season has been approximately 4 feet The data as to mean elevation and mean annual range in elevation for each well are shown in table 15 together with simiJurdata for the adjacent wells of group 1 It is e-ident from these datiL that while these meiln elevations indicate a gradient of tlle smfllce of the subsoil water from west to east find from north to soutb the slope is 110t uniform find not very great Also it is e-ident that the seasonal f1uctulltions of water level are somewbnt jpss thnn were found to OCCUT in the other groups of wells that llLYC been descrilwcl

TATIl]J 15-ArrangClncIIt of wells of groU7) 4 Newlands Field Slotion and adjacent wells of group 1 with the B-lwr mean devaiion ofs llusoil waleI at each well and the 2-yeal mcan annual range of elevation

[Groundsurfllee eleutiou rtlnges from vn t09U2fcct Dutu1Il3U50 feet IIhoo senlcclj

WeUno 110 lgtIellu eleutlon feet 570 nlenn unllUHlruIlgc __ ~_ _do 205

Wennobullbullbull bull -MClin elevlltiou Meuuuuuuarunge

1 1 00 1 77

2 551 100

3 554 U7

4 527 110

5 513 107

r 4 no 105

Well no Menn eevutioll d

Mean unnun rungo middotfeCl~

do bull

i 655 55

8 525 77

9 510 05

10 middot109 92

II 4 III 127

12 4hO 172

~i~~fuu~I~~ior~ Menn uuuua ruuge

f~~i= do

124 483 S

I Adjacent wellS of grouJl J

The meclian point of this group of wens is 1230 feet east of the same point in group 3 The meitn devntion of the wl1ter in the wells of group 3 for the 2-yenl period 1933-34 was 647 feet or 134 feet

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SrATION 23

higher than the mean elevation in group 4 This indicates a gradient from west to east of 58 feet per mile as compared with a gradient of 4 feet per mile in the same direction shown by the wells of group 1 The mean annual range in elevation for the same 2-year period was 147 feet in the wells of group 3 as compared with a range of 109 feet in the wells of group 4 However the area represented by the wells of group 4 was irrigated less frequently particularly in 1934 than the area represented by the wells of group 3 and the water elevations were measured less frequently which may account in part for the difference in 1ange of elevation

QUALITY OF SUBSOIL WATER

A summary of the conditions of salinity in the subsoil water of the area of 25 acres included in plots 19 to 23 of the Y series is shown in table 16 There has been no appreciable change in the quality of this water dWing the 3-year period of these observations The mean concentration of salinity as measured by conductance (4656) has been abou t 13 times as high as that of the hrigationwater used on the field station while the boron content (588 p p m) has been 125 times as high as that of the iITigation water The percent sodium of the subs~oil Witter has been twice that of the irrigation water but the lIperceIJt chloride has been tIle same

TABLE 16-QUolity oj subsoil water oj 7)lots 19 tv 28 of the Y ~eTie~ Newlands Pield Stativn as shown by the lI1crllS vf analyses from each of the j 2 umiddotclls vf group4 for cachvJ 8 years and tlw lIwans Jur the 1)C1iod Auyust 1932 to December 1984

KX HI Percent Percent _________middotc_IlI_+ ____~ __ Samplcs ~ Boron sodium chloride

1 Yllmba P p 711

]032 30 44( 0 035 97 Ifgt 1011- bull 72 4040 56( 96 15I11134 16 1802 504 lI) ]41--H-4 -40rO -5iiS --0-- ---]51oll11 or lIlCIIII bull

The conditions of galinity found at each well of group 4 representshying this nrea ure shown in table 17 together with similar data for the two acljacent wells of group 1 Two of the wells of this glOUP nos 3 and 7 appeal to be located in areus where the salinity 3mI boron content of the Rubsoil wnter nre relatively low But in tbis group as in the others described the contmsts in salinity between adjacent wells are very pronounced In view of the fact that the area 1epreshysenteel by these wells has been irrigated for only a short time it lllust be recognized t]mt the high salinity of the subsoil water has not reshysulted from the accumulation of salts brought in by the irrigation water but rather it vms present in the soil from earlier deposition It seems highly probable that such deposition may hnYe occurred at some earlier time when the elevation of tbe subsoil water was higher than it has been recently and wIwn it was close enough to the ground surface so that the eTnporation of WItter from it caused the deposition of its dissolved sn1ts in tbe soil

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

24 TECHNICAL BULLE1IN 533 U S DEP1 OF AGRICULTURE

TADLE 17-The arrangement of the wells of gronp 4 Newlands F1eld Statton wilh the 3-year means (August 1932 to December 1934) of foltl characteristicll of the subsoilwalers from eaclt well I

Well no 19KXIO nt ~5deg c 2i20lloron bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullp p lllbullbull 284Percent sodiumbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 980Percent chlorlde_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 100 cllno bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 1 2 3 4 5 6KXlO ut25deg 0 3092 254 2 1420 5712 8300 i900BoroIL_ p p Illbullbull 094 381 180 i18 1125 882

0 bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullPercent 80ltllulIIbullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull 080 970 S50 000 1000 000Percent chloriltle_ bullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull ]00 110 100 150 170 150 ell no 7 8 9 ]0 n 12KXlO at 250 C 151 3 3317 S100 0130 381 i a05 illoron p 11 III bullbull 102 361 067 653 450 449lercent 50lt1111111bullbull_ bullbullbullbullbullbull bull 050 970 970 080 nOn 990lercent chloride_ 100 100 100 lS0 100 16 a ell nobullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbullbull 2middot1 KXIO nt 250 C 1048lloron p p m 62Percent CtlJiUIJl2__ _ _ 970lercent chlorlde_ 2LO

1Annlyses hy C ]~lroon )ewlnntls Illhornton djncent wells of group I for I hleh the dUln represent the 4middotyenr menDS

There is some evidenco to support the iew thnt under the present progrnm of ilTigntiol1 the soluble snlts in the root ZOne ure being enrshyTied dowl1wurd into the suhsoil water TnbJe 18 shows the coneenshytration of dissolyed snits us meusurecl by eoncluctnnce and the boron eontent of each of the successive samples of subsoil wuter taken from each of the wells of this group Thcse datu show not only that the concentration of the subsoil watcl of onch wcll varics flom time to time but ulso that following the irrigation of onch summer there is a pronounced increase in the salinity of the wntcl for the whole group of wells It may be obsernd pnlticulnrly in wells 3 and 7 in which the salinity is generally low that there wus a marked inerense parshyticularly in 1934 fhis scnsonal chnnge in the concentration of the subsoil wntcr is not uniform in n11 or the wells but it hns oeeulTed regularly enough to be shown in the lnst eolumns of the tnbJe in which nrc giycn the mean yulnes of e(nductunce und boron for ull13 wells

1AHL1l lR-Conductance and boron conenl of sl(ccessilc sam7)CS of waler from Ihe 11ells (If group 4 NClelnnds Fleld NlaUolI 932-35

r~llIO 1Wrll no 2 WlUnol Well no 4 Well lOr IllIno II Wrll no i

--~ ~ ~ ~Dule lt0 ~ sect SG = sect r = ~ g0- b V ampt ~ ~d -0 e - E 0 -0 9 0 80X~ 0 X~ 0 X- E Xrr~ 5l

_0

Q1 ~ X X~-1 ~ ~-~ r ~ 1 ~~ 3-lt -=L--=-shy-~-=--- -~---Pmiddot11 PmiddotP Pp PP 11 111bull Pp

1032 1f 711 m Ill m 11t~ Ill All~ 30 57) JL2 2M 520 i r i2 1195 530 a97 (imiddotli 14U ii ~I 11)00 175Oct 20 4bO H 214 -t02 ~SR 23 ans n ao 34(l 7 ]5 l31 4 II 2420 255Doc 19bullbullbullbullbull 412 SA5 224 172 70 a ba OUO U~2 t IIO 21li 150S 2J72 1570 11o

1033 Jan 31bullbullbullbull 402 lG7 2lS a07 1Ol0 111 9S 12 4~ IPlot 2i20 1112 14 12 912 125Mnr2L 6(U KOI amiddot12 Im biO 97 non 12 middot13 1 7Z~ 11111 I lOS 1172 880 01Mny 20- ]17 207 12middot 112- 4110 5H 607 KUU il21 2-12 4112 5S7 1110 1 _ July 2Lbull 2711 middot135 2middot11 middotJas 02 i 02 30 472 -101 7t 471 52U i34 8

20 4

Sellt27bull 371 uRi 212 t ri l47 03 I~ Ii 10 BiU 152 305 555 721 82f)__ -I)Nov 15___ 167 1_ 22 1[2 8S5 [0 5t10 777 1110 20115 502 SlO llS 1531934

Tnn31 middot118 G2 412 middot162 1010 124 iRU 10 1173 1130 123middot1 10 SO 800 97July 27__ 140 5112 1-1 Lli4 5120 7 J2 21ll 415 414 i~ j~ 000 440 2110 347bull Deczo ____ 1J 560 ~m2 605 2middot1I0 385 41- 577 middot120 770 S14 0 U7 242 0 4371935 bull Mar 25 ( 42 ~no I middot10 21G0 171 ani Jni middot105 4 r4 11S5 918 2100 35o

Ma~middoti- 31lS 322 12-1 bullon 52~ u bull middot19 652 OJ ~II 585 410 487 i45 165

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

25 SUBSOIL WATERS OF NEWLANDS SJAlION

TABLE IS-Conductance and boron content of ~llCCCS$ivc ~(Wt1)le~ of water from the tlclls of (froU7) 4 Nlwl(llds F-icltl Station 19S2-85-Contillued

Jlrenn of J2 Wcllno S Well 1100 Well no 10 cll no 11 Wcllno12 wells

Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp

bull JU3 711 TIl 7Il 11l 111 711

Aug 30 2070 315 552 715 as 005 352 385 2H2 4 (5 aOI 510 Oct 20 4middot100 522 470 095 34 middot1middot15 ana 37 2116 410 121 1 02 Dce 10 5080 allo Jfi70 Zl1I7 385 405 3middot1middot1 385 240 402 (150 (l02

1933 Jnn 31 bullbull 7100 3 05 14middot15 IS a7 1042 882 ana 487 2Ba 420 752 8112H

]fur 28 30a0 177 I 10middot1 1042 I 012 10 52 Ha 457 20fi aS2 OBS 7 ao Jllny 20bullbull __ __ 10S0 1 02 la3 1115 500 1005 Inmiddot I 15 20J a ao 255 334 July2S 3250 412 iOB 052 19i middot157 3111 125 aU1 middot125 i2i 4 O~ Sept 27 3400 ~ 02 8U2 742 430 4 DO liS 4 no ZlS 130 330 407 No 15 IUllO 2 ~U 115l I1 117 fiOO n05 aso 507 250 42i 426 022

1934 Jun 31 bull 2210 r2 100 977 US7 7 3~ 44l 447 middotI~S 4 75 GOO 085 Jul) 27 lOllO 1 12 lIOO 450 Ga7 n75 ~2 a uo ali 430 404 482 Dcc211 2010 n55 510 (L5a 72S 09S nun O4 410 042 441 601

1935 lIfnr2i 32f10 7()2 500 58 544 11middottl 572 455 4 gl MIlY27 j 732 7Hi 552 3~2 407 JJ4 155 a01 347

THE WELLS OF GROUP 5

The four wells of group 5 are located in 11 strip of unimproved land lying between the Vlots of the Y series nnd the LD drain This area has never been irrigated and still cnlJies its sparse nl1tive vegetation of shrubs and gru5ses 111e four wells were estnblished and observashytions were begun in the autumn of 1910 although no 1 had heen put down in ]1I11ch 1909 und some observations were made during that year nud the early part of the following yellr

The wells of this group ure not locnted in 11 straight line because of local ilregularitiSs of topogrnpily They nre approximately midshywily hetween tbe r series nnd the LD drain and are numbered from west to enst with It distnnce of npproximntcly 1240 feet between nos 1 and 4 Prior to 1915 there wele 110 dleCtivc drainnge dite-Iles contigllous to tho stntion so thnt the dntn of tnhle 19 for~the yems 1911-14 mny be tnkell to T(presCllt the elevntion of the subsoil wnter in the uren prior to the intnlJlltioIl of dmillnge

TAnLl In-The mean anllllal drlaiotl the mean minimllll( cm1atioll ((wl Ihe mean anmlal nl1l(fc rn clemlion of the slIbsoil 1l(lfer in the four wells of (froup 5 Ncwlands Field 8ta-trlll ItJ1-1) (l(Llit-8J

[IMlllIll a1iiO fmiddot~ Ihoo Sen kYll]

lleunI I Menn I ftln -I-~ I llcnll r lfenll nlluulIl rnnAojnYenr UImunl mininuItl1i OHULll I 1 Yellr nnlllUtI minimulU

elcntioulleYuti01111 (~~~~ elenllul tlentiOlll cle~ution_---- shy l-dT~1 Pal i FII Fccl Felt lOll 1i1~ n aj I o kS 1027 - ~ - ~ -- - [I a 447 1 5a IOl2 (j6 limiddotJ2 11 Jl~~ 5+ GO 511 108 11113 bullbull 0311 I fl 15 liO 1l2G 5 JO 409 101 1914 h[7 foll) 12 IVJO 555 440 154llna 1131 5~O 510 66 1922 _ ~ rlJ~ r ltuf i middot1) l1J~ 5middotIS 4a7 1 78_a

IIIZ 11l1 607 fi35 1(115 IIJ 1 I i(1HI2L_ -121 a 41i JII 517 524 47 1925_ middot1N I rrgt 1 IV luan 280 1 97 102J 5 O ~I 25 IB

~

~----~-

1 LowcgtL elCYlllfoll rCllched fll enry S)lrill~

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

26 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEFr OF AGRICULTURE

During the winter of 1914-15 a shallow drain was constructed along the south line of the station on approximately the location of the present LD druin (fig 1) This druin did not extend ulo-Jg the west side of the station however but was continued westward about a hulf mile from the southwest corner Yhile this drnin was lelatively shallow it was cut into the saturated zone of the subsoil and its effect on the elevation of the subsoil water is evidenced by the vnlues for the mean unnual elevation of the wells of group 4 for 1915 (table 19) Not only was the JIlean annual elevntion for that year (597 feet) substantially lower than occurred during the 4 previous years but also the monthly observations not here reported show tluit the usual summer rise of suhsoii water levels did not occur in these wells in 1915 1be lowmlt JIleall elevation for that year (544 feet) occurred in October rather than in March and the mean elevution of June (599 feet) was lower than that of March (653 feet) rather than higher as is usually the case

Unfortunntely the observations of the water elevations in the wellti of this group were not Jerorded during the years 1916-21 inclusive They were lesumed in 1922 when the values for mean and minimum elevations were slightly below those Jeported for 1911-14 before the first attempt nt drainnge wns mude

In April 1923 the present drain was opened It was cut to 06 foot above datum (3950 feet above sea level) at the southeast corner of the station to 17 feet at the southwest corner and to 23 feet at the point on the west line of the station where the drain turns westwnrd again The bottom of this new drainage ditch wns about 35 feet lower than that of the one that hfld been (ut in 1915 and its efieet on the elevation of the subsoil water in adjacent wells of group 5 is shown by the data in table 19 for the year immediately following its construction

The Jecold for 1924-34 shows that the construction of the deeper drain was followed by lowering the mean annual elevation 2 feet and by a mean minimum elevation about 3 f(et lower thnn occllIl(d before the first drainage was provided On the other hand the existence of the deep drain increased rather than diminished the range in elevushytion that normally occurs each season between early spring and midsummer

The crf(ctiveness of this drain was munifestly impaired during the 10 years following its construction rrhis wus due to its gruduul obstnicshytion by wreds und soil from the cllving bunks During this period the values for subsoil-water elevation as shown in tnhIe 19 1ose consistently though not uniformly until by 1933 conditions were nearly the same as in 1922

In October 1934 the drain was cleaned and recut to approximately its original (1923) depth This cleflning was followed hy a shnrp drop in elevation of the water not only in the wells of group 5 but also in the wells of the Y series groups 3 flnd 4 The menn minimum elevation for 1935 (280 fc(t) reported in table 19 OCCUllpd on Febshyruary 26 of that year This is 006 footlow(r thuu occllrred on March 11 1924 the spring following the first construction of the drain It is probable that the lower value of 1935 is due in part to the shortage of irrigation wntel in 1934 and not wholly to the effect of recutting the drain to its original depth

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

27 SUBSOIL WAlERS OF NEWLANDS SlArION

In connection ~with this discussion of the LD drain and its effect on the water elevations in the adjacent wells it is pe1tinent to leport on the elevation of the water surface in the drain itself Unfortushynately the record is incomplete In August 1925 a gage was set in the drain at a point neal the southwest corner of the Y series a short distance west of well no 13 of group 3 The elevation of the water surface in the drain at this point has been recorded each week since that time except for the last 6 months of 1927 and the first 2 months of 1930 The mean elevation at this gage for the 7-year period 1928shy34 except the 2 months noted was 541 feet During the earlier period from August 1925 to June 1927 the elevation ranged from 4 to 5 feet with a mean of approximately 45 feet above datum

In order to compare the elevation of the water surface in this drain with the mean elevation of the subsoil water reported for the adjacent wells of group 5 it should be noted that the gage for the drain is located about 1300 feet upstream from the median point for these wells and that the gradient of the water surface in the drain is about 4 feet per mile so that values about 1 foot below those reported from the drain gage should be used for comparison with the mean values reported for the wells In other words the mean elevation of the water surface in the drain near the medil1n point for the wells of group 5 has been rather more than 1 foot lower than the mean annual elevation of the water in those wells and about 05 foot lower than the mean annual minimum elevation

QUALITY OF DRAINAGE WATER

The LD drain located on the southwest and south margin of the Newlands station appears to serve as an outlet for some of the subshysoil water of that station It is recognized that the drain also serves other areas thuu the one und(r considemtion so that it has not seemed warranted to attempt to measure the volume of discharge of the drain as a part of these investigations

The fact that the water of the drain is dmwn ehiefly from the subsoil of contiguous land including the station does however justify consideration of its quality particularly for purposes of its comparishyson with the quality of the irrigation water on the ono hand and on the other hand with the quality of the subsoil water of the station as sampled through the observation wells It should be kept in mind that tllls drain like many other open dJains in this and other irrigated areas serves not only as I1n outlet for subsoil water but that it is used also for disposing of surplus irrigation water Consequently it is not safe to assume that the drainage watet sampled from tlwse open ditches represents a true composite of the contiguous subsoil water It is rather that composite somewhat diluted by wasted irrigation water

During the 5 years 1930 to 1934 inclusive the water of the LD drain has been sampled for analysis approximately once a month at a station located near the southwest corncr of the Y series (fig 1) The results of the analyses of tl1ese samples are given in tttble 20 as means of the seycral analyses for cl1ch ycnt Thcse data show that in respect to the concentration of the totnl sulinity as measured by electrical conductunce as well ns of the scveral constituents the

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

28 lECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPr OF AGRICULlURE

quality of the water is remarkably uniform from year to year This is true also in respect to the jndiyidual analyses lcplesented by these means It appears then that notwithstanding the occasional diluting eflects of illigation waste waters or of the run-off from infreshyquent rains the Yntel of this dmin at this point net11 its upper end is mthe1 more uniform in quality than is the water of the irrigation supply us shown in table 3

~AllLB 20-Qllality Ilf tho middotimiddot(ller III the LD drain at the Newlanrls Field Station as sa1J17Jied allhe ((1st slalion 1080-SI I

lor- rer- iilligram equivnlents Sam- KXIO Boron cent milt _ pIes nt 25degC sotli- chlo-

Year I ------1--------- ride ~ Mg ~li003~~

NU71lshyJer Pl1m1030__bull___________

11 880 04middot1 00 IS 213 2r middot185 middot113 117 12310al_____________ 12 880 2 08 HI 227 00 J sa 178 1 02 1 34lla2________________ 1031_____ bull __________ 10 80 oj 92 70 H 1 un e 024 1+1 258 118

10 851 77 71 15 22a rJ~ U as ja8 2 l7 12803L__________ _ 0 874 so 73 10 212 35 001 -178 28middot1 148

Menn_ ________ 85S 75 72 10 2 14 bull OS 5 70 4 55 2 10 130

1 Annunlmealls or several tumlyscs by C IJ iV[uOJl 2 l=trucc

Compari1on of the datu of table 20 the drainage wnter with those of tnble 3 the irrigation wnter shows thnt during the 5 years the drainage va ~er has been nearly two lwd one-half times as eoncenshytll1ted as the irrigation water TillS lutio is not uniform for the sevell1l constituents The vrtlues for boron calcium and magnesium are only slightly higher in the drainage Witter while thut for the alknli bases (AB) chiefly sodium is three and one-half times as high The proportion of the tlnee anions bicarbonnte sulphate nnd chloride me lelatively the same in both waters Thus the derived vulue percent chloride is about the same while the vnlue for percent SOdilUll is much higher for the druinage water inclicnting the lesults of reactions of base exchange that appear to occur ill the soils of this area

For the purpose of comparing the salinity of the dll1inage water vith that of the subsoil water of the station it seems ])loper to select as representing the latter the values given in table 4 These are basecl on 700 analyses of samples from 25 wells covering the whole area For total sulinity as measured by conductance the yalue thus obtained is 2067 which is two and one-half times the corresponding mean yalue for the dll1inage water The mean boron concentration of the subsoil water is 236 p p mo1 npproximately three times that of the drainage wItter Thus it appears thltt inlespect to total salinity and boron the dminage water is almost exnctly intermediate between the irrigntion water and the subsoil water of the stntion The lelatiye proportions of the anions as mq)lessed by percent chloride is ap])loA-imately the sume in nil tluee waters but in percent sodium the yalue for the drainage wnter is agnin intershymediate

The fad tlmt the salinity of the dminage water is substantially less concentrated tllan that of the contiguous subsoil water is probshy

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

29 SUBSOIL WATEllS OF NEWLANDS STAlION

ably due in part to each of two factors (1) To dilution by wasted irrigation water and (2) to cUJferonces itl permeability or the soil nl1d subsoil and consequently to the freer downwttrcL fmd htelnl mOYlIshyment of irrigation water through the more permeable mens to tbe drain There is abundant evidence in the detailed obSClyations herein reported to support the jew that there are pronollnced differences in the soils and subsoils of the station in respect to pershymeability and to salinity and also thnt the water contnined b~~ the more penneable subsoil is less sftline than that of the less permenbIe subsoil Thus it is to be cxpected tll1lt of the totnt yolume of subshysoil water finding its way to the (1 ruin the larger pnrt would come through the more permeable subsoil in which the salinity is low

SUMMARY

The irrigated aren in dLich the Newlands Field Station is located is one in which the subsoil is perenninlly snturnted with water rho saturntecl zone is genemlly jthill 4 feet otless of the grolLud smface so tilnt it limits the depth of the root zone ayailnble to cmp plants rhe objectiye of this report is to present the lesults of observations that have been made concerning the position of the zone of saturashytion its seasonnl fluctuations anel the quality of its water

These obselYHtions htLye been made by means of a number of wells 83 in nIl comprised in 5 groups The records include weekly observfLtions of elevation in the wells of some groups and monthly observations in the others

The saturatecl zone hns a sUlfnce gmdient to the south and east applox-unatcly conformable to the grouud surface and eqllhalent to approximately 5 feet per mile The menn alUwnl range in e1evatiOll from the low of early spring to the high of midsllllllllCL is somewlllt less thun 3 feet

The evidence of the ater-elevation data indicates that the subsoil wnter is intereomnuwicating thlOllghout the urcll of the field station yet notwithstanding the upprecinble grndient of its sllfnee there does not appeal to be lateralmovelllent in the ltUlSS at t1 measurttble mte

The salinity of the subsoil Witter has been cletcllnined by samples from the w(lls taken monthly 01 less frequ(ntly throughout the yen There uleplOIlOUllCed diflerences in the snlinity of the water obtained from tbe middotdifJerent wells and in general these difIerences remain fairly cons tan t

Ohanges in elevation of the subsoil ntter OCClLr approximately simultaneously in adjacent wells thus indicatiug hydrostatic intershycommunication but the persistent difiolCllCeS ill sltlil1ity between adjacent wells indicnte thnt there is ycry slight general lateral moyeshyment of the middotwater

ObselYations have been mnde niso Oil the salinity of the irrigation water and 011 tlutt of the water collected by un open dmin contiguous to the station These obscnatiOJls slww that the mettn concentmshytion of the subsoil watcl is fin~ to six times as high as that of the irrigation water while the concentration of the draiuage water is intermediate between these two

Taken as a whole the evidence iOm these observations indicates (1) That the subsoil water is replenishcd in part by percolation from

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

30 TECHNICAL BULLElIN 533 U S DEPT OF AGRICULURE

the unlined canals of the distribution system and in part by the dOWllshyward percolation of the irrigation water applied to the land and (2) that the lateml movement in the direction of the surface gradient of the st1turated zone does not OCClli uniformly but Tatum thlOugh ~ the more permeilblc sections of the Sllbsoil

TIle uyclrostntic Telldjustments by which the sensonal changes in elevation are kept uniform appear to be transmitted thlOllgll or around the less permeable sections of the subsoil and to be accomshyplished with very little movement in the mass of the subsoil water

In some meas of the station the salinity and the boron content of the subsoil nre so lugh ns to mtard or even to inhibit the growth of ~ crop plants when this water invades the root zone of the soil

1

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WHEN THIS PUBLICATION WAS LAST PRINTED

Secretary of Agriculturc~ _~ - - _ Under Secretary ________ _ bull Assistant Secretary ________ bull _ _ Director of Extension Forie _ - _ -- bull __ Director of Finance___ ~ ~ Director of Information___ - - Director of PersonneL__ _ _ - -Director oj Research_________ shySolicitor_________ ~_______ __ _ ___ _

AgriculturaL Adjustment Administration___ _ BurealL of AgricuUllral ECOliomic~_____ bullbull _ Bureau of Agricultural Engineering ___ ___ _ Bureau of Animal Ilidl~try __________ __

Bureau of Biological Surve1 __ _ ~ _ - - __ Bureau oj Chemistry alld Soils _____ ___ -Commodity Exchange Administratioli_ ____ BurealL of Dairy Industry __ ____ ___ __ Burealpound of Ellt01l0logy and Pinnt QUnrantinl_ oJice of Erperimcllt Stations - - _ - __ - - Food and Drug Administration___ ___ _ Forest 3crvicc ___ _________ __ ____ ___ Bureau of llome Econommiddotic~ ____ _ - __Library_________________ bull __ bull ________ _

Bure(w of Plant Industry__ -_ _________ _ Burean of Public HO(l(~ _ ___ - _______ _ Soil Conservation Scntice _______ __________ _ lVeathcr Bureau _______ ___ bull _____________ _

II INRY A YALLACE

RBXIOIW G lUGWELL

M L WILSON

C Y rUUlUUTON

c Abull1UMI

M S EISENllOW])Ur Yo STOCKBEIlOER

JAllES T 1AlmINE

MAflIIN G -WHlTE

H R TOLLEY Ad-min-istrator A G BLACK Chief S H MCCUOltY Chief TOHN R MOIiLEH Chief lIlA N GABlUELSON Chief HENRY G KNIGH1 Chicf J W T DuvEL Chief O E REED Chief LEE A STRONG Chief bulllAMES TJAIWINE Chief YAllrElt G CA1I1P1lELL Chief JEIWINAND A SILCOX Chief LOUISE STANLEY Chillf CLunBBL R BAUNETT Librarian FHEDEItICK D RWIIEY Chief THOMAS H MACDONALD Chief H H BENNETT Chief TILLIS R GREGG Chief

This bulletirt i~ 11 contribution from

Bureau of Plmtl Industry________________ bull FUEDERICK D RICHEY Chief Division of Western Irrigation AgricuZshyC S SCOFIELD Principal Agriculshy

ture tmiddoturmiddotist in Charge 31

U S GOVUWMCNT rnltITWG oHtCf 1936

------------~ -For Hale hl 1h~ Superlllltlldmiddotllt (If ])olurncllt~ WIl~hIJltoll D C - - - bull - rlcc u cents

I t

l_gt

I t

l_gt