Water quality assessment through monitoring and sustainable agricultural practices to increase productivity in the Colorado River basin, Argentina

MARIANO TRILLINI; JORGE OMAR PIERINI; FEDERICO VALLESE

Congreso; AmeriGeo Week 2021; 2021

SG-SICA y Gobierno de El Salvador

The water available in the regulated basin of the Colorado River(CR) has a significant impact on the potential yield of the main crops grown in the CR basin. The region presents a semi-arid regime (NOAA); deficit is managed by complementary irrigation. To evaluate the quality of irrigation water in the basin of the CR in 4 sampling sites, one on the water of the CR and the others to collectors that drain into the sea, in addition to evaluate the influence on the crops grown in the basin. Irrigation Water Quality Index(IWQI), PCA and HCA will be used, to estimate their influence on the productivity of the crops grown in the area. Physicochemical parameters are analyzed statistically, in 67 water monthly samples (2015-2021). The IWQI88% of the samples were classified as water without use restrictions, and the rest with a low restriction. The irrigation system water presents a tendency to increase EC due to the drought crisis which leads to significant yield losses on various crops in CR.