International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
M.Y Adana1, N.M Idris2 and M.K Dahiru3
1Department of Environmental Management, 2Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Nasarawa State University, Keffi
3Department of Geography, Federal University of Lafia
Abstract: The utilization of water high in ionic content may eventually lead to build up of substances in the soil at a level likely to affect the soil productivity and reduce in yields of crops. With this point, the suitability of River Rutu for irrigation purposes was attempted to ascertain the level of concentration of some of the parameters used in assessing water for irrigation. The study employed sampling at different points where 3 samples each were taken at the up stream, mid-stream and down stream of the river for both dry and wet seasons. The parameters analysed in the laboratory were pH, HCO3, CO3, Ca, Mg, TDS, B, EC, N, Na, NO3, SO4 and the suitability of the concentration of the parameters were determined through RSC, SAR, KI, MR. The results shows the mean values for SAR in both dry and wet seasons as 0.654meq/l and 0.6211meq/l respectively. RSC mean value for dry season is -16.85meq/l. However, the mean value for wet season was pegged at 10.9388meq/l. Based on the findings from the analysis on MR, the mean value was seen as 32.8711meq/l, for wet season and the dry season had 35.8950meq/l mean value. Kelley’s Ratio was measured at mean value of 0.073meq/l for dry season and wet season stood at 0.0542meq/l mean value. The study concluded that the results from the sampled water of River Rutu is good for irrigation regardless of seasonal variations and recommended that the water quality is good and can support all types of crops. Therefore, the Local and State Governments should provide loans and support farmers in Rutu to boost irrigation in the area in order to improve the nation’s agricultural value chain.
Keywords: Assessment, Suitability, Ions, concentration and irrigation.
I.INTRODUCTION
The role of irrigation programs in global food security cannot be overemphasized. In the developing world where agriculture constitutes a significant stake in the national economies, irrigation schemes play pivotal roles in the delivery of both commercial and staple crops. Different crops have different tolerable limits for specific ions and the general salinity. It is imperative that the quality of irrigation water be assessed against the type of crop that will be irrigated. In addition to specific ion toxicities, it has been globally accepted that the proportion of the sodium ion against the major alkaline earth metals (Calcium and Magnesium) in irrigation water play key roles in determining its quality for use on irrigation schemes (Ayers,1997). The sodium adsorption ratio, SAR, is an index which measures the relative proportions of the sodium ion on one hand and the sum of