What is Water Logging?
Water logging is defined as a situation where soil becomes submerged because of rise in groundwater level or heavy rainfall. Water logging situation controls the oxygen level to plant roots, which can prevent plant growth or even be responsible for plant death.
When groundwater level reaches up to ground level then land is called waterlogged land. Because of waterlogging, productivity of soil gets badly affected. Waterlogging happens when extra water in the soil that ground is not able to absorb, causing saturation of area.
Causes of Water Logging
Some of the causes of water logging are given below:
- Water logging occurred because of over and intensive irrigation.
- Excessive rainfall is the one of the causes of water logging as it penetrates the soil and thus raises the ground water level in soil.
- Seepage, higher level runoff and canals leads are also causes of water logging problems.
- The ground can also get submerged because of floods, which could cause water logging problems.
- It can occur due to improper water drainage systems.
- Irregular terrain conditions also cause water logging.
Effect of Water Logging
Some of the bad water logging effects are given below.
- Low Soil Aeration : Entrapped air of soil voids gets replaced by water due to water logging. Thus, the plant roots don’t get enough air for their growth and finally die.
- PH of the soil decreases : The PH of soil reduces due to water logging problems. Ultimately, soil becomes acidic and decreases their productivity.
- Soil Nutrition decreases : Soil nutrition reduces due to water logging problems. Ultimately, soil decreases their yielding capacity.
- Increased Salinity : Due to waterlogging effect, salt is accumulated in the soil after drying and harms the soil. It is considered to be a big effect.
- Diseases : Water logging leads to raise growth places for insects and mosquitos, leading to various diseases. It also leads to bad smells and the spreading of various diseases such as cholera, jaundice and typhoid etc.
- Farming problem : It is very hard to grow any crop in a water logged situation. Only rice favours the situation of water logging as it needs lots of water for its growth.
- Soil temperature decreases : Waterlogging decreases the temperature in the soil, which damages the activity and growth of microorganisms.
Methods to control Water Logging
Various methods to control water logging as given below.
- Proper surface drainage : Fast removal of stormwater by suitable surface or open drain is a very necessary control measure.
- Effective under drain : Providing tile drains below ground surface at suitable depth to dispose of excess subsoil water.
- Control the seepage loss from canal : This measure includes lowering the full supply level (FSL) of the canal, lining the canal by impervious layer, using irrigation water economically and keeping intensity of water flow in canal.
- Improve inflow and outflow condition : This method includes improving the flow condition of existing natural drainage and providing artificial opening for better outflow.
- Changing the system of irrigation : If the system of irrigation is not suitable for a given area then it is necessary to change the irrigation system as per the condition.
- Pumping out surplus water from land : To prevent waterlogging of soil, it is necessary to pump out surplus water from land.
- Prevention of seepage from reservoir : To prevent seepage of water from reservoir, reservoir should be maintained from time to time properly.
- Lining of field canal : Proper lining of canal by impervious layer can control the seepage from canal. This measure helps to control water logging.
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