Agronomy journal, Vol. 69 No. 2, 2007.
Original scientific paper
EVALUATION OF SOILS IN SPLIT-DALMATIA COUNTY FOR THE NEEDS OF IRRIGATION
M. Bogunović
Ž. Vidaček
S. Husnjak
Aleksandra Bensa
Abstract
Investigation and evaluation of soils in Split-Dalmatia County are among numerous such investigations in the national strategy for planning irrigation. Increasingly frequent droughts affect agricultural production in this Mediterranean region. The principal aim of this work was to review the land resources suitable for irrigation and separate cropping areas where this hydrotechnical measure would render optimal results.
The basic evaluation method is assessment of soil suitability for irrigation (FAO, 1976; Vidaček, 1981). Analysis was done using the GIS technology, program ArcView.
Pedological investigations of semi-detailed character provided the following data: Split-Dalmatia County has an area of 4,539 km2. In this number, agricultural areas account for 2,177 km2 or 48%. Forests cover the largest area of 2,244 km2 or 49.4%. Settlements and house lots occupy 90 km2 or 2.0%. Water areas cover 29 km2 or 0.6%.
The most wide-spread soils in this county are calcocambisols with 52,485 ha and calcomelanosols with 42,027 ha, which due to their rockiness and slope are permanently not suitable for irrigation. The most frequent suitable soils are anthropogenic soils in various karst forms (42,258 ha). Best soils for plough-fields and gardens are hydroameliorated (3,649 ha) and alluvial (3,068 ha) soils, while the potentially most valuable soils in the region are gley amphigley soils (3,337 ha).
There are 92,003 ha of suitable soils of the first priority for irrigation requiring larger or smaller agroamelioration measures, and 6,001 ha of the second priority for hydro and/or agroamelioration when applying irrigation. There are 119,663 ha of permanently not suitable soils for irrigation within agricultural areas (primarily pastures and meadows).
Keywords
evaluation; soil suitability assessment; irrigation plan
Hrčak ID:
19826
URI
Publication date:
23.4.2007.
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