Sustainable Marginal Water Resource Management: A Case Study of Brackish Water Irrigation on the Southern Coast of Laizhou Bay

Wenquan Liu (), Fang Lu and Weitao Han
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Wenquan Liu: Observation and Research Station of Seawater Intrusion and Soil Salinization, Laizhou Bay, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China
Fang Lu: College of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
Weitao Han: Key Laboratory of Coastal Science and Integrated Management, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao 266061, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: The secure and effective use of marginal water resources, such as brackish water, plays a crucial role in ensuring food security and promoting the sustainable development of agricultural land. This paper conducted indoor soil column experiments to simulate the infiltration of brackish water (0, 1, 3, and 5 g L −1 ) in order to study the effects of infiltration on the movement of soil water and salt, aiming to address the critical challenge of utilizing marginal water resources in coastal saline-alkali areas. The result showed that, as salt content increases, the movement speed of the moisture front and soil infiltration rate gradually decrease over the same period of time. The moisture front progress and infiltration volume showed a positive correlation. The moisture content of the soil profile gradually decreased, within the soil depth range of 0–40 cm, except for the 5 g L −1 saline water infiltration, and the Cl − content increased, while the other treatments showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. The higher salt content at the same depth, the higher the Na + and Cl − contents. Under different irrigation water volume conditions, the soil profile conductivity shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. The research findings advance fundamental understanding of salinity-driven soil hydrological processes, offering theoretical support for the sustainable utilization of brackish water, balancing agricultural water demand and soil health in coastal areas.

Keywords: brackish water; sustainability; salinity; wetting front; infiltration rate; ion content (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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