Integrated water management systems for sustainable use of agricultural lands and water

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The expansion of intensive agricultural production requires the use of adequate irrigation, drainage, and agricultural chemicals. The consequence of high fertilizer application is the increased potential to pollute the streams, rivers, and lakes via poor quality drainage return flows. Irrigated potato production is expanding in Southern Manitoba in areas where salinization from poor quality groundwater has been a major problem. Proper water management through well-designed irrigation and drainage systems can minimize the salinization problems. One of the strategies to mitigate salinization is to use excess irrigation water to wash the salts below the root zone and remove this excess water by a drainage system. If the drainage return flows are directed to engineered-wetlands, the pollutants could be removed by vegetation. This will allow the water to be re-used for irrigation during dry periods and thus eliminate the pollution of rivers and lakes.