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Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi
Mini Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2019.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2019
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| _version_ | 1867613669887574016 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Annandale, John George |
| author_browse | Annandale, John George |
| author_facet | Annandale, John George |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2018 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Mini Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2019. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/68449 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:39:49.883Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/68449 Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi Annandale, John George trenciokandinga@yahoo.com Christen, Evan Stirzaker, Richard John Sanewe, Andrew Kandinga, Trencio Enock Hanwell Irrigation Water Management UCTD Mini Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2019. A study to understand the implications of shallow groundwater dynamics was carried out at Kasinthula Irrigation Scheme in Chikwawa District, Malawi. Water table fluctuations, groundwater salinities and soil solute levels were monitored every week from August to December 2017. Soils in the area are clay to clay loam and there is a uniform aquifer with a low hydraulic conductivity of 0.06 m/day and very high soil salinity reaching up to 8.5 dS/m. Effect of water table fluctuations on historical sugarcane yields were assessed and was observed to have very little effect on yields, however, a comparison of actual yields against expected yields from the Maas Hoffmann salinity function revealed low correlation since some areas with highest soil salinity had higher yields as compared to the areas with low soil salinity that were expected to produce higher yields. The area with highest soil salinity happened to have average water table closer to 1 m which is known to help supplement irrigation water requirements. However, sugarcane yields were noted to be declining over time as some fields registered as low as 26 ton/ha from their previous highest yields of 120 ton/ha. These low yields can be attributed to poor water management and agronomic practices carried out at the scheme that lead to waterlogging and nutrient leaching. It is from this background that a shallow groundwater monitoring tool known as a floating flag is proposed so that farmers can easily observe water table fluctuations in their fields which can help them better manage water application through adjusted irrigation schedules through observing colour changes in the floating flags. This will help reduce waterlogging and salinization problems because the groundwater will be utilised to supplement irrigation and thus reduce operational costs to the farmers. This material is based upon work supported by the United States Agency for International Development, as part of the Feed the Future Initiative, under the CGIAR Fund, award number BFS-G-11-00002, and the predecessor fund, the food security and crisis Mitigation II grant, award number EEM-G-00-04-00013. Virtual Irrigation Academy (VIA) Project under the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO Agriculture and Food) through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia for equipment and connecting me with wonderful people who helped shape everything. Plant Production and Soil Science MSc Unrestricted 2019-02-13T09:23:52Z 2019-02-13T09:23:52Z 2019-04 2019 Mini Dissertation Kandinga, TEH 2019, Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi, MSc Mini Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68449> A2019 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68449 en © 2018 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Irrigation Water Management UCTD Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi |
| title | Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi |
| title_full | Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi |
| title_fullStr | Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi |
| title_short | Implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at Kasinthula Sugarcane Scheme, Malawi |
| title_sort | implications of shallow groundwater dynamics on water and salinity management at kasinthula sugarcane scheme malawi |
| topic | Irrigation Water Management UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/68449 |