Reinforced Polyethylene - Irrigation Canal Liner
Published on by Edwin Muchebve, Engineer
OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM
Seepage is the primary concern for the irrigation districts because of the alkali contamination that occurs, which in turn, damages the soil and prevents effective crop growth and development. The physical process of seepage from the canals results in the rising of the ground water below the liner, called water mounding. This occurs as the soils beneath the canal become saturated from the seepage and the water table rises to meet the saturation point. The salts and minerals in the soils migrate to the surface surrounding the canals causing a change in the chemical composition of the soils making them not conducive to crop growth. The soil types occurring in the 11B Springhill area (Brooks, Alberta, Canada)primarily consisted of a silty clay till with the presence of occasional sulphates and oxides.