Open AccessEconomics of Water Use on Different Classes of Saline and Alkali Land in the Semi-arid Plains of West Pakistan
Author(s) -
Ch. Mohammad Rafiq,
M. Alim Mian,
R. Brinkman
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
pakistan development review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.154
H-Index - 26
ISSN - 0030-9729
DOI - 10.30541/v8i1pp.23-34
Subject(s) - land reclamation , soil salinity , salinity , arid , alkali soil , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , indus , soil water , water resource management , geography , geology , soil science , archaeology , geotechnical engineering , structural basin , paleontology , oceanography
Soil salinity and alkali pose a major problem for agriculturein West Pakistan. According to one estimate [5, p. 39], out of the grossarea of 46.5 million acres of the Indus Plains, 4.8 million acres werestrongly saline and 11.1 million acres were partially affected bysalinity. Although soil alkali was also recognized as a problem [1], itwas generally considered to be of limited extent. Its full significancewas realized only after studies in 1962 and 1963 by the Water and SoilInvestigation Division of WAPDA and the US Salinity Laboratory in theSalinity Control and Reclamation Project No. 1 (WAPDA 1966). The soilsurveys carried out by the Soil Survey Project of Pakistan havesubsequently provided further information on saline and alkalisoils.