Decreasing sedimentation loss from surface irrigation into Riparian areas

Sediment carried in furrow irrigation return flows is a large contributor of sediment to riparian areas in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). About 3.3 million acres are surface irrigated in Oregon, Washington and Idaho, nearly two million in Idaho alone (Anonymous, 1991). Furrow irrigation is an inherently erosive process, but sediment losses in the PNW are worsened by the steeper slopes and high erodibility of typical furrow irrigated fields in the region. Irrigation-induced erosion is one of the most severe threats to sustainability of agricultural production in the region