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Causes of Soil Salinization: 2. A Basin in East‐Central Alberta, Canada
Author(s) -
Hendry M. J.,
Chan G. W.,
Harker D. B.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1990.tb01710.x
Subject(s) - geology , soil salinity , bedrock , structural basin , hydrology (agriculture) , groundwater , snowmelt , geomorphology , geochemistry , soil water , snow , soil science , geotechnical engineering
The cause of soil salinization in a 21‐ha area of gently rolling topography in Alberta was investigated. The geology of the basin consists of lenticular Cretaceous sediments overlain by tills and lacustrine deposits. Interpretation of vertical hydraulic‐head data showed that regional discharge of ground water from bedrock is not a cause of salinization in the study area. Results of stream‐function modeling suggested that most of the water causing salinization is not derived from local topographic highs. Modeling results also suggested that the direction of ground‐water flow throughout the area is vertically downward through unconsolidated Quaternary deposits and into bedrock. Tritium analyses of pore water distilled from core samples confirmed that the ground water causing salinization was not derived from the local topographic highs, nor from deeper geologic deposits. Hydrograph analysis indicated that the salinization was derived from evaporation from seasonally high water tables caused by ponded surface water and spring snowmelt in localized depressional areas.