Welcome
to the
Lower Colorado Region Salinity Assessment Network |
This site describes the Lower Colorado Region Salinity Assessment Network (LCRSAN), and includes information about the LCRSAN program, sponsors, locations, and service areas. This site also describes current salinity assessment technologies and surveying techniques, including recent hardware and software developments, and features an on-line resource page and salinity information links. |
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Mission & Objectives |
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The Lower Colorado Region Salinity
Assessment Network (LCRSAN) is an organization of local action agencies
dedicated to the monitoring, control, and abatement of soil salinity within
the irrigated agricultural areas of the Lower Colorado Region. Each
action agency within the Network is capable of performing rapid, cost effective
salinity inventorying and monitoring surveys via the use of mobilized soil
conductivity assessment equipment and salinity inventorying software.
Jointly sponsored by the USDA-ARS George E. Brown, Jr. Salinity Laboratory
and the USBR Lower Colorado Region, the LCRSAN program is designed to ensure
the success of each local salinity assessment program by:
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Program Purpose |
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Irrigation represents an extremely
important and productive agricultural practice. Unfortunately, improper
irrigation practices very often lead to the buildup of salts, toxic chemicals,
and pesticides in the soil and associated waters. Insufficient irrigation
can result in critical soil salinisation over time, while excessive irrigation
typically leads to down slope soil and groundwater non point source pollution
problems. Ultimately, the long term control of soil salinity and/or
other associated soil chemicals can only be achieved through the implementation
of optimal irrigation management practices.
The design of an effective irrigation management strategy requires that one have detailed knowledge of the field scale spatial salinity pattern. Additionally, adequate information on the changing salinity conditions over time is critically important if optimal irrigation practices are to be identified and sustained for the long term. The primary purpose of the LCRSAN program is to help develop and equip each local salinity assessment action agency with the necessary tools and training to perform rapid salinity inventorying and monitoring, and to instruct each agency in the proper use and interpretation of various salinity assessment technologies. |
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Long Range Goals |
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The primary long range goal of the
LCRSAN program is to foster the growth, development, and independence of
each local salinity assessment action agency supported by the network,
and to empower each agency to better serve its local agricultural constituents
with respect to soil salinity assessment and abatement issues. To
achieve this goal, the LCRSAN program actively promotes methodologies and
technologies which can be better used to
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Figure 1. The LCRSAN local
salinity assessment action agency personnel,
technical
program coordinators, and various MSCA systems. |
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Home | Sponsors | LC Region | Hardware | Software | TAMs | SAEs | OnLine Info | Contact |
The
Lower Colorado Region Salinity Assessment Network
LCRSAN Website hosted by the USDA-ARS George E. Brown Jr. Salinity Laboratory |