Effect of soil amelioration on recharge from ponded rice

A number of farms in the Coleambally Irrigation Area have used compaction to seal leaky areas in rice paddocks. Other technologies with the potential to reduce recharge of water from rice growing, including puddling, have also been used. The results of this work has been summarised and concludes that puddling and impact compaction have the potential to reduce recharge from leaky rice soils, while impact compaction also has a significant effect on infiltration in soils with relatively low infiltration rates. Impact compaction is not recommended for widespread application, but may be an appropriate method for treating small leaky areas.

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