Water and salt movement in soils of the Nile Delta

Abstract

This chapter concerns the water and salt movement in the fields of the Nile Delta, which are critical factors determining the ability of soils to sustain reasonable production of different crops. First, the present status of the soil quality, especially the salt accumulation in soils affected by the water and salt movement in the soils is described. Then, various factors affecting soil salinity are discussed, including the use of drain water or mixed water as irrigation water and the fluctuation in the water table level, which is closely related with the efficiency of the embedded drainage systems. Finally our field experimental results regarding the effects of rice cultivation on salt leaching from surface soils are presented.