The New Inland Sea

Scientific American | April 13th, 1907

The deep channel in the Alamo River, which passed Holtville in August, was gradually approaching Sharp's Heading, and it was recognized that when this cataract reached

The deep channel in the Alamo River, which passed Holtville in August, was gradually approaching Sharp's Heading, and it was recognized that when this cataract reached the heading it would be very difficult and expensive, and perhaps impossible, to maintain that heading. This, however, was not the only peril to the water supply of the valley. The channel of New River had eroded to such an extent that where the two streams separated it was estimated that four-fifths of the water was running down New River and only one fifth down the Alamo. While this proportion was favorable to the regimen of the Alamo and the safety of Sharp's Heading, it was very threatening in an other respect. It accelerated the cutting of the New River channel, in which was a great cataract four or five miles below the separation of the two streams, and this was, of course, advancing upstream. It was well recognized that when this cataract reached the Alamo the channel would be so deep that all of the water would run down New River and leave Sharp's Heading on dry land, without any water for the irrigation of the Imperial Valley. Threatened first with inundation, and next with the destruction of their entire water supply, the inhabitants of the Imperial Valley have naturally been almost in a state of panic for several months.

The System of the River: Francis Newlands and the Improbable Quest to Irrigate the West

Stanford University | June 28th, 2018

The tradeoff between water savings and salinization prevention in dryland irrigation

Advances in Water Resources (Elsevier) | December 7th, 2023

Soil salinization is a global phenomenon that affects large tracts of arid farmland worldwide. It contributes to the loss of soil fertility, declining yields, and – in

Soil salinization is a global phenomenon that affects large tracts of arid farmland worldwide. It contributes to the loss of soil fertility, declining yields, and – in the most severe cases – land unsuitability for cultivation. Irrigation water applications are both the main cause of and the solution to, anthropogenic (or ‘secondary’) salinization because salt typically enters the soil column as dissolved in irrigation water and leaves it through excess water applications (e.g., leaching). Excess leaching, which places additional water costs in areas affected by water scarcity, can be achieved with different irrigation techniques and practices. Here, by complementing a process-based crop water model with a salt balance of the shallow soil, we investigate the tradeoff between root zone salinization and water conservation to limit withdrawals from the water source. We evaluate how such a tradeoff is achieved under different irrigation technology and excess leaching practices. Considering as a case study the cultivation of tomatoes in Egypt, we find that drip and furrow irrigation allows for better control of salt accumulation, thus preventing crop exposure to salt stress. Drip irrigation achieves this goal with minimal water applications because it maintains the soil wetter. Thus, the (rare) rainfall events find more suitable conditions to drain the excess moisture. Conversely, by using more irrigation water (and ‘less efficiently’), furrow irrigation allows for higher rates of soil drainage and salt leaching. The irrigation schedule typically adopted with sprinkler irrigation allows for soil drying, thus limiting the ability of rainfall events to drain the soil and leach its salts. Collectively, these results highlight the key role of irrigation technology and practices in the management of secondary salinity in dryland agriculture. Specifically, there is a tradeoff between minimizing water use and preventing salt accumulation in the root zone. Drip irrigation exhibits the co-benefit of achieving both goals, while furrow irrigation limits soil salinity at the cost of requiring greater volumes of applied irrigation water.

Wastewater Reuse for Agriculture: Development of a Regional Water Reuse Decision-Support Model (RWRM) for Cost-Effective Irrigation Sources

American Chemical Society (ACS) | August 8th, 2016

Water scarcity has become a critical problem in many semiarid and arid regions. The single largest water use in such regions is for crop irrigation, which typically relie

Water scarcity has become a critical problem in many semiarid and arid regions. The single largest water use in such regions is for crop irrigation, which typically relies on groundwater and surface water sources. With increasing stress on these traditional water sources, it is important to consider alternative irrigation sources for areas with limited freshwater resources. One potential irrigation water resource is treated wastewater for agricultural fields located near urban centers. In addition, treated wastewater can contribute an appreciable amount of necessary nutrients for plants. The suitability of reclaimed water for specific applications depends on water quality and usage requirements. The main factors that determine the suitability of recycled water for agricultural irrigation are salinity, heavy metals, and pathogens, which cause adverse effects on human, plants, and soils. In this paper, we develop a regional water reuse decision-support model (RWRM) using the general algebraic modeling system to analyze the cost-effectiveness of alternative treatment trains to generate irrigation water from reclaimed wastewater, with the irrigation water designed to meet crop requirements as well as California’s wastewater reuse regulations (Title 22). Using a cost-minimization framework, least-cost solutions consisting of treatment processes and their intensities (blending ratios) are identified to produce alternative irrigation sources for citrus and turfgrass. Our analysis illustrates the benefits of employing an optimization framework and flexible treatment design to identify cost-effective blending opportunities that may produce high-quality irrigation water for a wide range of end uses.

Water Use by Urban Lawns and Trees in Los Angeles

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | July 24th, 2017

Wells of Southern California

Scientific American | March 22nd, 1902

In the Series of Water Supply Irrigation Papers, the United States Geological Survey has in press, but not yet published, the “Wells of Southern California" (Nos. 59

In the Series of Water Supply Irrigation Papers, the United States Geological Survey has in press, but not yet published, the “Wells of Southern California" (Nos. 59 and 60), by Mr. Joseph Barlow Lippincott. In his letter of transmittal Mr. F.H. Newell, Hydrographer in Charge, remarks: "The results are instructive, as showing what may be done in other parts of the United States under favorable conditions of climate and soil, and have peculiar interest in any consideration of the extent to which the arid land can ultimately be redeemed by irrigation." The region discussed is the San Bernardino Valley in Southern California, which has an area of 563 square miles, and lies south and west of the Sierra Madre and San Bernardino Mountains. Riverside and Rcdlands are the centers of fruit production. Up to elevations of 2,000 feet the relatively high lands are free from frost, and the relatively low lands are subject to it. The distinctive crop of San Barnardino Valley is citrus fruits. Oranges predominate, followed next by lemons, and of late years the grape fruit has become a popular product. Olives, almonds, prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, and wine, raisin, and table grapes, are all grown to perfection in this district. In the eleven years prior to 1898 Riverside shipped nearly seven million boxes of oranges, an average annual income of $1,000,000. Water is the lifeblood of the land.