Irrigation Analysis

FAS offers a comprehensive analytical package for irrigation water. Also included in reports are interpretive guidelines on water quality.

It is important to test whether your source of irrigation water is suitable since high levels of dissolved salts and ionic imbalances may lower water quality. Ongoing monitoring of water quality is of importance in ensuring the sustainability of irrigation schemes. Accumulation of salts in the soil as a result of the use of poor quality irrigation water may give rise to saline and/ or sodic conditions which greatly reduce the production potential of land.

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Collecting water samples

For water quality analysis to be meaningful, the following general rules apply when collecting a representative water sample:

  • Use a clean, uncontaminated, sealable and non-breakable (plastic ideal) bottles that can hold at least 250ml of water.
  • Rinse the container at least twice with the water from the source that will be analysed.
  • To best represent the water quality that will be applied to the crop it is advised to collect the sample from pumping station outlet to represent the water being pumped through the irrigation system.
  • Allow the pump to run for several minutes before sample collection to improve sample representativeness.
  • Where water samples are to be collected from dams/ponds/rivers/canals then it is important to adhere to the following guidelines:
    • Avoid sampling close to the edge of an open water body such as a river or dam.
    • Collect water as close as possible to the intake (abstraction point) of irrigation water.
    • Collect the sample from at least 0.3 m (30cm) below the water surface.
    • It is usually best to collect several samples and mix these to produce a single composite sample.
  • Fill the container to the top (to minimise headspace) and seal the container immediately.
  • Attach all relevant information required from the testing laboratory including the annual rainfall and irrigation amounts and label samples clearly with markings that will not readily degrade or be rubbed off.

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