Geostatistical modeling of salinity as a basis for irrigation management and crop selection—A case study in central Tunisia

Spatial distribution of the salinity in groundwater used for irrigation and irrigated soil was investigated on Gammouda Plain, an important agricultural area in central Tunisia. Samples from 188 wells and irrigated fields were obtained in November 1988. Groundwater salinity ranges from 2 to 30 dS/m, and 50 percent of the sampled wells have a salinity higher than 3.5 dS/m. In most cases the soil samples have a salinity higher than 4 dS/m. Maps of salinity and leaching were produced by a geostatistical interpolation method based on ordinary kriging. In a great part of the plain, the estimated salinity levels indicate that there is a considerable risk for reduced yield potential for several of the most important crops grown. A rough estimation of the leaching fraction was computed from the soil and water salinity. Computer-based models of salinity ought to facilitate the general planning of irrigation management and crop selection.