To address the on-site and off-site salt load impact associated with non-saline and water-logged irrigated fields a well-considered strategy is required. This implies minimal salt mobilisation and additions through irrigation, no crop yield losses due to excessive salt in the root zone, and minimal irrigation-induced drainage and leaching. The aim was to formulate best water and salt management practices to achieve this strategy and conduct an extensive assessment on whether they are implemented before problems appear. Weekly and seasonal data (2-years) from 19 fields (28 measuring sites) were used. Crops included barley, wheat, groundnuts, maize and lucerne grown in a semi-arid climate. Dominant soils were sandy loam, loamy sand and sandy with lateral moving shallow groundwater tables (depth > 1.2 m and electrical conductivity < 250 mS m⁻¹), while electrical conductivity of primary water sources is < 100 mS m⁻¹. Good decisions included the use of centre pivot compared to flood irrigation, irrigation schedules that ensured soil matric potential for maximum crop transpiration and limited yield losses due to water logging and soil salinity. Poor decisions were incorrect sprinkler design and excessive pumping pressure and limited use of rainfall and capillary rise to irrigate less. Growing season rainfall-plus-irrigation were a mean 55% more than the quota (annual water allocated to farmers), and 35%, 39%, 60%, 106% and 67% more than a “conservative” estimate of barley, wheat, groundnuts, maize and lucerne transpiration, respectively. The magnitude of variation in this oversupply were similar than the mean values. Approximately all salts applied through irrigation were leached from the root zone, while minimal re-use of drainage water was made (only 3 fields). In terms of resource use efficiency and preventing environmental degradation the evidence is overwhelming for improved decisions at field level. However, given sufficient supply of water, continuation of the status quo, might be sustainable in the long term.

为了解决与非盐渍和涝渍灌溉田有关的现场和非现场盐负荷影响，需要一种经过深思熟虑的策略。这意味着最少的盐分动员和通过灌溉的增加，没有因根部盐分过多而造成的农作物产量损失，并且最小化了灌溉引起的排水和浸出。目的是制定最佳的水和盐管理实践以实现该策略，并在问题出现之前对其是否得到实施进行广泛评估。使用了来自19个字段（28个测量站点）的每周和季节性数据（2年）。农作物包括在半干旱气候下种植的大麦，小麦，花生，玉米和卢塞恩。主要土壤为沙壤土，壤质沙土和砂土，地下水位横向移动（深度> 1.2 m，电导率<250 mS m^-1），而一次水的电导率<100 mS m ^-1。良好的决策包括采用与洪水相比的中心枢纽，灌溉时间表确保土壤基质最大程度地促进作物的蒸腾作用，并确保因水涝和土壤盐分而造成的单产损失有限。较差的决定是喷头设计不正确，抽水压力过大，降雨和毛管上升限制了灌溉用水量。生长季降雨加灌溉平均比定额（每年分配给农民的水）高55％，比大麦，小麦的“保守”估计高35％，39％，60％，106％和67％。 ，花生，玉米和卢塞恩的蒸腾作用。供过于求的变化幅度与平均值相似。几乎所有通过灌溉施用的盐都从根部浸出，同时尽量减少回用水（仅3个田地）。在资源利用效率和防止环境恶化方面，为改进现场决策提供了压倒性的证据。但是，鉴于有足够的水供应，从长远来看，维持现状可能是可持续的。