Three study decades on irrigation performance and salt concentrations and loads in the irrigation return flows of La Violada irrigation district (Spain)

Irrigationdistrictsalt balances identify the main sources and sinks of salts and quantify saltloads in irrigationreturnflows. Salt balances were performed in LaVioladaIrrigationDistrict during the 80s (1982–1984), 90s (1995–1998) and 00s (2006–2008) decades. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and loads in irrigationreturnflows were related with changes in irrigationperformance and infrastructures during these decades. TDS increased linearly to increases in Irrigation Consumptive Use Coefficient (ICUC) (P 66%, and decreased exponentially for values above and below these thresholds, respectively. Therefore, the key management strategy to reduce salt discharge to downstream areas is to decrease drainage volumes by improving irrigation management.Peer Reviewe