Journal of Water and Soil Science

Occurrence of Palygorskite and the Major Soil Properties Influencing its Distribution in Selected Soils of Bushehr Province

H. Khademi

Although several reports are available on the distribution of Palygorskite in the soils of arid regions of Iran, there is not much information about the presence and abundance of this important fibrous clay mineral in the soils of Bushehr Province. This research was carried out: (1) to investigate the distribution of Palygorskite and other major associated clay minerals, and (2) to evaluate the relationship between the relative quantity of Palygorskite in clay-sized fraction and the most important soil properties in Dashtestan County, Bushehr Province. Five geomorphic surfaces including eroded rock outcrop, rock outcrop, dissected hill, alluvial fan, and alluvial plain were identified in the study area using Google Earth images and field observations. After sampling representative pedons, the clay mineralogy of two horizons from each pedon was determined. X-ray diffractograms and SEM images showed that in the studied soils, which were classified as either Aridisols or Entisols, Palygorskite was present in different quantities on all geomorphic surfaces. Moreover, Illite, Chlorite, Smectite, irregularly interstratified Chlorite/Illite, and Kaolinite were the other clay minerals that existed in the soils studied. The relative quantity of Palygorskite and Smectite was variable on different geomorphic surfaces. Regardless of the type of geomorphic surface, petrogypsic and gypsic horizons showed the highest quantity of Palygorskite as compared to other horizons which seems to be due to the suitable geochemical conditions of these horizons for the formation and stability of Palygorskite mineral. The higher correlation of Palygorskite content with gypsum, as compared to that with the carbonates, indicates the importance of gypsum in Palygorskite distribution in the soils of the study area. The findings also indicated that the amount of Palygorskite was positively correlated with soluble Mg/Ca ratio, pH, gypsum, and soluble Mg. These parameters appear to control the genesis and distribution of Palygorskite in the soils studied. In general, it is necessary to pay special attention to their clay mineralogy, especially the significant amount of Palygorskite to manage the soils of the study area and to reasonably predict their behavior.

The Evaluation of Interaction between the Water Deficit and Hydrogel Produced based on Biochar on the Growth, Yield, and Oil Content of Thymus daenensis

M. Baki

The improvement of water consumption efficiency is very significant, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. In this research, the effects of three hydrogel rates (0, 10, and 50 Mg ha^-1) and three irrigation regimes (50%, 70%, and 100% of water requirement) on growth, yield, and oil production of Thymus daenensis were studied in a lysimetric experiment. The process of hydrogel synthesis was performed with sodium alginate as the main bone of the polymer and acrylic acid and acrylamide as monomers with the rapeseed meal biochar was made at 300 ºC. The results showed that the essential oil content produced by the plant was impressed by the hydrogel application. The essential oil content increased with an increase in water deficit, but the essential oil yield decreased in the lysimeters with water deficit compared to the ones without water stress. Besides, the application of 50 Mg ha^-1 hydrogel caused a 17% increase in the dry matter and a 12% increase in the plant's height. According to the results of this experiment, the application of hydrogel caused the improvement in most characteristics of the Thymus daenensis in water stress conditions.

Investigation of Scouring Downstream of Transverse Weirs in Arc 90

A. Bordbar

In the past, various methods have been proposed to control beach heel scouring. For shallow rivers (such as mountain rivers), various types of overflows are used. Therefore, the development of scour in cross-vane and w-weir structures for coastal protection was investigated in this study. The results showed that by installing a w-weir structure in a 90-degree position compared to a 30 and 60-degree position, a 37.9% and 19.7% reduction of scouring was observed, respectively. Also, by installing the cross vane structure in the 90-degree position compared to the 30 and 60-degree position, a 35.4% and 21.2% reduction of scouring was observed, respectively. With increasing width (L / B) (ratio of the width of structure to the width of flume), the w-weir structure decreased from 1.5 to 2, scour rate of 7.9%. Also, with increasing width (L / B) (ratio of the width of structure to the width of flume), the cross-vane structure has decreased from 1.3 to 1.7, and the scour rate has decreased by 4.7%. The w-weir structure had an average of 7.3% less scouring than the cross-vane structure.

Numerical Hydraulic and Hydrodynamic Investigation of the Flow through Multiple Rectangular Lopac Gates with Flow 3D Software

M. Sajjadi

One of the structures for regulating the water level in the irrigation and drainage ducts is the lopac gates, which are proposed as a structure for regulating and controlling the flow level. In this study, a new design of this type of structure has been proposed in which the gates are placed next to each other in pairs, and they are called multiple lopac gates. The objective of this research is to investigate the effective hydraulic parameters of the proposed structure and compare it in a case where a gate is used under the same conditions. All the simulations were modeled with 3 amounts of opening 30, 45, and 60 degrees and at 3 flow rates of 20, 40, and 60 liters per second and using Flow3d software, in these simulations, the number of mesh cells is 1000000 and RNG turbulence model is used. The results showed that the maximum shear stress was reduced by an average of 38% compared to the single gate mode in most tests at different openings and flow rates using multiple lopac gates, and the largest amount of this reduction was related to the opening of 45 degrees, and the flow rate is 40 liters per second with a value of 76%. Also, the forces acting on the gate at different flow rates and openings will be reduced by 150% on average. In the qualitative investigation of flow vortices, the investigations also showed that vortex range, length, and strength are reduced compared to the single gate mode when two gates are used, and the number of vortices increases compared to when a single valve.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Chemical-Biological Characteristics and Determining the Quantitative Index of Soil Quality in Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari Almond Orchards

S. Soodaee Moshaee

Since the long-term sustainability of garden ecosystems is dependent on maintaining the soil quality, knowing the condition of the soils and investigating the effects of the activities on the soil properties is very important and effective in ecosystem management. To investigate the soil quality index of almond (Prunus dulcis) orchards under different managed methods in ChaharMahal va Bakhtiari province, soil samples were collected from three points in each orchard and finally classified into 6 groups (Saman, Ben, Shahrekord, Kiar, Ardel, and Farsan). To determine the soil quality index, soil characteristics including pH, EC, total and water-soluble organic carbon, basal and substrate-derived respiration, rhizosphere microbial population, and available soil P and K were analyzed. The results showed that almond orchard management in different regions affected the soil characteristics and the processes evaluated in this study. The monitoring of soil properties showed that pH 7.05 - 8.48, EC 0.23 - 2.91 dS/m, microbial respiration 0.44 - 8.57 mg CO₂.100 g^-1.day^-1, organic carbon 2.09 - 44.79 g/kg, available phosphorus 1.5 - 122.3 mg/kg, and available potassium were between 91.2 - 3038 mg/kg. Soil quality index components including chemical components, microbial activity, microbial population, and soil organic carbon were determined. The contribution of soil salinity to soil quality obtained using factorial analysis was the highest (31%), followed by microbial carbon mineralization coefficient (27%), rhizosphere microbial population (24%), and water-soluble organic carbon (18%). The soil quality index values for Saman, Ben, Shahrekord, Kiar, Ardal, and Farsan almond orchards were 0.46, 0.40, 0.51, 0.67, 0.54, and 0.37, respectively. These values showed that the evaluated soils are suitable for almond production in Shahrekord, Kiar, and Ardal, and for Saman, Ben, and Farsan, there is a need for serious management measures to improve soil quality and increase the sustainability of these agricultural ecosystems.

Laboratory Investigation of the Effect of Sill Length in Flip Bucket Spillway on Scour at the Bottom of Downstream

A. Masjedi

The use of structures has economic and safety advantages compared to other energy-consuming structures. In this research, to investigate the effect of the length of the sill of the flip bucket spillway on the scour downstream, experiments were conducted in a rectangular laboratory flume made of Plexiglas. The scouring downstream of the flip bucket spillway was investigated using a flip bucket spillway with four relative sill lengths and four threshold angles at four current intensities in the channel in this research. The results of this research showed that by the increase in the length of the sill in the flip bucket spillway, the energy consumption in the spillway increased and the scour depth downstream decreased. Also, increasing the relative length of the sill by 70% at the sill angle of 45 degrees, the scouring depth is reduced by about 88%. Also, a relationship was presented to determine the maximum depth of relative scour, and the correlation coefficient of the results obtained from this equation with the laboratory results is about 0.92.

Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use on the Discharge of Kashfrood Basin Using SWAT Model

A. Asadi Vaighan

Due to climate change and human activities, the quality and quantity of water have become the most important concern of most of the countries in the world. In addition, changes in land use and climate are known as two important and influential factors in discharge. In this research, four climate change models including

HADGEM2-ES, GISS-E-R, CSIRO-M-K-3-6-0, and CNRM-CM5.0 under two extreme scenarios RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 were used as climate change scenarios in the future period of 2020-2050. The future land use scenario (2050) was prepared using the CA-Markov algorithm in IDRISI software using land use maps in 1983 and 2020. The SWAT model was calibrated to better simulate hydrological processes from 1984 to 2012 and validated from 2013 to 2019 and was used to evaluate the separate and combined effects of climate change and land use on discharge. The prediction of the climate change impact on discharge showed a decrease in most of the models under the two scenarios RCP2.6 and RCP8.5. The average maximum decrease and increase under the RCP2.6 scenario is 60 and 30 percent, respectively. This significant reduction is greater than that predicted under the RCP8.5 scenario. Examining the combined effects of climate and land use change revealed that the average decrease in discharge in the months of October, November, December, and January under two scenarios is 46.2 and 58%, respectively. The average increase in discharge is predicted to be 47% under the RCP8.5 in the months of April and May in the HadGEM2ES.

The Mutual Effect of Mulch and Superabsorbent on Yield and Water Productivity of Maize (Zea mays) under Deficit Irrigation in Khorramabad Region

M. Saeidi Nia

Due to the lack of water resources and excessive evaporation in the country, it is necessary to have a detailed irrigation program and a suitable management method. The present research was conducted to investigate the effect of superabsorbent and mulch in Khorramabad in July 2022 in a factorial combination with a completely randomized design in three replications. The first experimental factor was irrigation water treatment in 4 levels including irrigation that provided 100% water requirement (I100), 80% of crop water requirement (I80), 60% of crop water requirement (I60), and 40% of crop water requirement (I40). The second factor included different corrective materials including plant mulch (M), superabsorbent (S), and control treatment (I). The results showed the maximum amount of wet and dry yield and crop height was related to I100-M treatment, i.e. 100 percent water requirement and compost corrective material, which were 89.52 tons per hectare, 29.42 tons per hectare, and 2.27 meters. The maximum wet and biological productivity for I40-S was calculated as 14.24 kg of wet matter per cubic meter of water and 4.75 kg of dry matter per cubic meter of water. The lowest wet and dry yields were related to I40-M, which decreased the yield of the control treatment by 6.5 percent and 0.9 percent. The lowest productivity was related to the I100-S treatment, which was calculated as 3.13 kilograms per cubic meter of water for biological productivity and 9.14 kilograms per cubic meter of water for wet weight productivity. In general, mulch had a better performance in the treatments where the water stress was low, but when the water stress increased, the performance of the mulch treatments decreased. In the superabsorbent matter, the treatments with complete irrigation or with less stress, yield decreased, but the treatments with increased stress showed better results than most of the corrective materials and the control treatment.

Evaluation of Surface Water Quality of the Gorganrood River Basin for Different Uses with Canadian (CCME) Water Quality Index Approach

A. Zare Garizi

Water quality characteristics play a crucial role in water resources management, watershed health assessment, and implementing effective management strategies. The objective of this research was to present an overall assessment of the surface water quality in the Gorganrood River Basin to be utilized for developing effective watershed management plans and programs. Various physicochemical water quality data including main anions and cations, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Sodium Absorption Ratio (SAR), pH, and total hardness recorded at 25 hydrometric stations across the basin were analyzed and assessed with the Canadian (CCME) Water Quality Index. The mean water quality index for drinking, agriculture, and industrial purposes indicated that headwaters and higher areas generally exhibited better water quality compared to the downstream areas of the basin. Geochemical processes and the introduction of various pollutants during water flow from the headwaters to the basin outlet contribute to a decline in water quality. The highest water quality was observed in the Kabudval and Shirabad stations, whereas the Baghesalian station exhibited the lowest. For drinking water use, hardness, bicarbonate, and chloride were identified as variables contributing to water quality decline in the headwaters and upstream areas. However, these areas predominantly maintained a moderate to good quality for drinking purposes. Conversely, downstream areas experienced a significant deterioration in water quality with higher pollutant levels such as total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfate, and sodium, resulting in relatively poor to poor conditions. Approximately 60% of the stations in the basin had excellent water quality for agricultural use, with no limiting factors. Only three stations near the basin's outlet exhibited relatively poor to poor water quality due to elevated chloride levels, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), and electrical conductivity. only 28% of hydrometric stations demonstrated good water quality for industrial use. Hardness, pH, and TDS are the main variables contributing to water quality decline for industrial use in the upstream, while downstream areas are impacted by chloride and sulfate. The outcomes of this study hold significant implications for effective water resources management, watershed preservation, and natural resource conservation in the Gorganrood basin. From industry and especially health aspects, however, more detailed investigations are needed, taking into account some other important variables of water quality (including nitrate, total coliform, fecal coliform, etc.).

Effects of Irrigation with Treated Sewage Effluent on the Chemical Characterstics of Soil under the Cultivation of Ground Cover Plants (Case Study: Parand City)

M. Kashi

The reduction of water resources due to the issue of global climate change and population growth is one of the most critical issues facing the designers and planners of the development of green spaces in cities. Against these challenges, there is an urgent need to improve the efficiency of water consumption and chain use of water resources with suitable options. Due to the significant volume of urban wastewater Effluent, its reuse in green space irrigation is important from the point of view of water resource management from an ecological and economic point of view. The effect of the Parand city wastewater treatment plant on the chemical properties of soil under the cultivation of three types of cover crops (Frankinia (FR), Festuca (FE), Dichondra (DI)) in a bed with sandy loam soil is investigated. This study was conducted as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design using mixing of water and Effluent at 4 levels with irrigation treatments of zero (control), 50, 75, and 100% compared to fresh water and 3 replications, and then the soil chemistry characteristics such as pH, EC, OC, Na, Cl, Ca, and Mg were evaluated. The results obtained from the soil chemical analysis parameters showed that the pH value decreased in all the treatments with effluent compared to the control, and this decrease was not significant in any treatment. The values of EC and Cl have increased in all plants, and these values were significant in the FR100 treatments with an increase of about 195 and 561% compared to the control, and in the FE100 treatment with an increase of about 54 and 162%, respectively, at the 5% probability level. The amount of OC in the FR100 treatment was significant with an increase of about 41% compared to the control treatment, but in other plants, this ratio was not significant in any treatment. The maximum amount of Mg in the FR50 treatment was 30.27, which has a significant effect compared to other treatments. The amount of Na and Ca in the FR100 treatment was significant with an increase of about 343% and 130%, respectively, compared to the control treatment, while in FE and DI plants, this ratio was not significant in any treatment.

Evaluation of Mole Drainage and Nitrogen Fertilizer Management on Rapeseed Drain Water in Paddy Fields

M. Navabian

Cultivation of rapeseed as the second crop requires drainage systems in most of the paddy fields of the Guilan province. Mole drainage, as a low-cost and shallow drainage method that is suitable for rice cultivation conditions and easier to implement than pipe drainage, can be a solution in the development of second-crop cultivation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the drainage of mole drainage and nitrogen fertilizer management on the quantity and quality of drainage at Guilan University. In this regard, an experiment was conducted under two treatments including drainage and nitrogen fertilizer (i.e. traditional mole drainage and sand-filled mole drainage), and 180 and 240 kg of nitrogen fertilizer per hectare in three replications. After each rainfall during the plant growth period, water samples were taken from the drains, and parameters of electrical conductivity, pH, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, turbidity, concentrations of ammonium, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate were measured. Also, the outflow from the drains and the water table level were measured by piezometers during the rain and after that. The results of the mean comparison of pH and total suspended solids showed that most of them were obtained with 7.49 and 281.25 mg/liter, respectively, in the mole drain filled with sand and the traditional mole drainage and 180 fertilizer treatment. The highest mean of electrical conductivity and turbidity was observed as 651 micro mohs/cm in the traditional mole drainage and 240 fertilizer treatment and with 67.76 NTU in the traditional mole drainage and 180 fertilizer treatment. The statistical analysis showed that the effect of drainage treatment on the amounts of ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, and total phosphorus was not significant. The outflow from the traditional mole drainage was 49% lower than the sand-filled mole drainage. The traditional and sand-filled mole drains were able to drain excess water with average reaction coefficients of 0.8 and 0.83 per day during the growth period, respectively. Considering the speed of water discharge, drain discharge, and the main non-significance of qualitative parameters among drainage treatments, mole drainage filled with sand is recommended for the development of rapeseed cultivation in paddy fields.

Evaluating the Efficiency of Field Oven for Quick Measurement of Gravimetric Soil Water Content

H. Asgarzadeh

This study was conducted in the summer of 2021 to evaluate and validate the gravimetric soil water content measurements using a field oven. Ten soil types with a salinity of saturated paste (EC_e) less than 4 dS m^-1 and three saline soils were studied around Urmia Lake. Plots with dimensions of 1 m × 2 m were prepared for the selected soils to measure gravimetric soil water content and soil physical and chemical properties. The gravimetric water content (θ_m) values measured using the field oven (i.e., θ_mFO), were compared with those measured by a standard lab oven (i.e., θ_mLO). The soil water content values measured in the lab, regarded as a benchmark, were measured at 105 °C for 24 h. Temperatures of 120, 140, and 160 °C with three durations of 10, 15, and 20 min were used to dry the soil samples in the field oven. There was very good compatibility between the values of θ_mFO and θ_mLO when the soil samples were dried in the field oven for 15 or 20 min at all three temperatures. Significant linear relations were obtained between the θ_mFO and θ_mLO values as the slopes of linear relations were close to 1, the intercepts of relations were negligible and the distributions of measured data around the line 1 to 1 were unbiased. The minimal effects of soil organic matter content, clay content, salinity, and bulk density on water content measurements by the field oven indicate an important advantage of this method. These results confirm the high efficiency of the field oven for fast and reliable measurements of water content in different soils.