Water logging

•Waterlogging is a verbal noun meaning the

saturation of such as ground or the filling of
such as a boat with water
•When water is applied to a field that is not

adequately drained, it builds up in the root

zone, creating conditions unsuitable for
plant growth.
• Water logging is when the soil surface area
become saturated. Soil pores (spaces) are
full of water.
 Where does it occurs

•Water logging occurs where bad irrigation

methods are used
• in poorly drained soils where water can't

penetrate deeply.
•For example, there may be an impermeable clay

layer below the soil. It also occurs on areas that are

poorly drained topographically.
•
•Currently Victoria has 1.8
million ha affected by
waterlogging.
•Waterlogging occurs mostly on
flat floodplain areas or gently
sloping landforms with high
rainfall and red duplex or heavy
clay soils.
CAUSES OF WATER LOGGING

Water-logging can occur with:

• Periods of heavy rain.
• Poor irrigation management.
• Poor drainage.
• Rising watertable (refer to
“Movement of Water” and
Salinity).

The soil is inadequately drained. Is there


seedbed above the level of the drainage

channels and are any tied ridges allowing
water to drain away?
  The field is not level. Can you see that there

are low spots?

  Too much irrigation water has been applied

which cannot drain sufficiently quickly.

Rainfall has been heavy. Was the The soil
is naturally heavy with poor structure and
inadequate pore space.
•irrigation regime altered to allow for this?
After heavy rainfall waterlogging can
occur even in light soils because crusting
seals the soil surface and prevents air from
entering
CAUSE AND EVIDENCE LEVEL
Field is not Look over the field
level. for low spots.

Drainage is poor Measure soil

due to a hardpan. depth in the
affected areas.
Very heavy rains Check the amount
or excess of water received.
irrigation.
inappropriate use Examine land
of tied ridges or preparation
contours. methods
•Waterlogging may be

•due to periods of heavy rainfall,

• poor irrigation management,

•rising water tables
•combination of poor surface drainage (across the

paddock) and poor subsurface drainage (down the soil

profile).
Figure showing well aerated soil and water logged soil
•Worldwide, about 10% of all irrigated land suffers
from water logging

EFFECTS OF WATER LOGGING

•reduced the efficiency of irrigation systems
•• Water-logged soil pores have no oxygen. Plants

need oxygen to breathe and grow.

•• Vegetation can turn yellow, growth is stunted

and thin.
•• Trees and plants can die.
•Bare patches of soil appear.
••Plant species more tolerant of saturated
conditions will take over(eg sedges, pinrushes,
dock
•Waterlogging also damages soil structure.
•When soils are water logged, air spaces in
the soil are filled with water, and plant roots
essentially suffocate -- lack oxygen.
•A waterlogged soil reduces the amount of oxygen
in the root zone thus inhibiting proper plant
growth and encouraging anaerobic soil micro-
•Waterlogging prevents air and many nutrients from
reaching the roots
•unfavourable gases and compounds are produced in the

root zone due to the anaerobic (no air) conditions.

•Pasture dies and is replaced by weeds (docks, smartweed,

rushes, sedges, couch, etc.).

•Denitrification occurs due to lack of aeration.
• Responses to applied fertiliser are poor.
 Symptoms of Water logging

• Waterlogging causes lower leaves to turn

bright yellow then die

•upper leaves turn pale yellow through

nitrogen shortage
Plant
Showing
Symtoms of
water logging
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

•Nitrogen:Apply nitrogen after a

period of waterlogging. It will make
nitrate readily available and
accelerate plant recovery.

 Weeds: Keep the field free of

weeds to reduce competition for
oxygen in the root zone.
•.

 Cultivation: Consider a light
cultivation if crusting occurs after
intense rainfall. This will help aerate the
saturated soil
•Irrigation schedule: Adjust the
irrigation timetable to allow for rainfall
events.
 Deep cultivation: Use deep
cultivation to increase soil pore space
and break up any hard pans that
might have developed. Pore space
should be around 10% to avoid
waterlogging.
• Raised beds: If the soil is prone to

waterlogging, consider adopting the

raised bed system with its intrinsically
good drainage.
 Green manure: Next season, grow
and then incorporate a green manure
crop to improve soil organic matter
and pore space. Alternatively
incorporate farmyard manure or crop
residues.
 Leveling: Level the field, improve
the drainage channels and put them
closer together.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
•Level the field, or avoid planting in the
low areas.
•2. Break up the hardpan by subsoiling or

by planting a deep- rooted crop for a

cycle.
•3. Install drainage canals.
•4. Plant on wide raised beds, or on

ridges.
•5. Improve weed control.
•6. Reduce the density of the intercrop, or

plant the intercrop later in the growing

cycle.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
•Management of drainage lines for efficient water
flow.
•• Management of surface water-flow to avoid

surface ponding.
•• Increase deep rooting vegetation for greater

utilisation of water from the soil.

•• Only apply water when necessary eg:
••
•When plants have used all available water for
growth
•• When the soil is dry to a depth of 15 cm
••
As required only in the growing season. Not
when plants are dormant
••
Apply only as much as the plant will use.
NOT when it’s raining or just after rain
 Rain drops

Soil layer

AIR SPACES
THROUGH SOIL

Be WATERWISE.
PROTECT OUR SOILS
WATER LOGGING EFFECT ON CROP
WATER LOGGING EFFECT