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Evaluation of irrigation management procedures for geothermal effluent. Research technical completion report, contract No. DE-AS07-80ID12167 Item Info

An investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of geothermal power plant effluent disposal by surface irrigation and the resulting impact on the shallow aquifer. The study was conducted at the Raft River Experimental Geothermal Power Plant site near Malta, Idaho, and at the Snake River Conservation Research Center with soils and effluent obtained from the geothermal power plant site. The conclusions of the investigation were: (1) Salinity hazard to the shallow aquifer is minimized by high-rate irrigation of previously irrigated lands due to the high amounts of soluble salts found in the native soils. (2) Irrigation disposal of effluent will cause little if any fluoride contamination of the shallow aquifer. (3) The irrigation method best suited for disposal is surface irrigation with borders. The irrigation system will experience problems with cold weather operation. Crop emergence will be hindered by border irrigation. (4) Recommended cropping systems on disposal lands are grain and forage crops, providing the portion harvested did not have contact with the effluent. (5) Two mechanisms in the soil were apparently removing fluoride from the effluent. One mechanism was identified (fluorite precipitation) and one was not. Further study is needed to determine the other mechanism.

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Title:
Evaluation of irrigation management procedures for geothermal effluent. Research technical completion report, contract No. DE-AS07-80ID12167
Authors:
Brockway, C. E.; Robbins, C. W.; Robison, C. W.; Johnson, G. S.
Date Created (ISO Standard):
1984-06
Description:
An investigation was conducted to determine the feasibility of geothermal power plant effluent disposal by surface irrigation and the resulting impact on the shallow aquifer. The study was conducted at the Raft River Experimental Geothermal Power Plant site near Malta, Idaho, and at the Snake River Conservation Research Center with soils and effluent obtained from the geothermal power plant site. The conclusions of the investigation were: (1) Salinity hazard to the shallow aquifer is minimized by high-rate irrigation of previously irrigated lands due to the high amounts of soluble salts found in the native soils. (2) Irrigation disposal of effluent will cause little if any fluoride contamination of the shallow aquifer. (3) The irrigation method best suited for disposal is surface irrigation with borders. The irrigation system will experience problems with cold weather operation. Crop emergence will be hindered by border irrigation. (4) Recommended cropping systems on disposal lands are grain and forage crops, providing the portion harvested did not have contact with the effluent. (5) Two mechanisms in the soil were apparently removing fluoride from the effluent. One mechanism was identified (fluorite precipitation) and one was not. Further study is needed to determine the other mechanism.
Subjects:
Geothermal studies Geothermal power Effluent Aquifers Irrigation Surface irrigation Climate
Location:
Malta; Southern Idaho
Latitude:
42.29
Longitude:
-113.31
Collection:
Boise Basin
IWRRI number:
198403
Rights:
In copyright, educational use permitted. Educational use includes non-commercial reproduction of text and images in materials for teaching and research purposes. For other contexts beyond fair use, including digital reproduction, please contact the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Department at libspec@uidaho.edu. The University of Idaho Library is not liable for any violations of the law by users.
Publisher:
Idaho Water and Energy Resources Research Institute; University of Idaho
Contributing Institution:
University of Idaho
Type:
Text
Format:
application/pdf
Cataloger:
KIT
Date Digitized:
2017-08-29

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Preferred Citation:
"Evaluation of irrigation management procedures for geothermal effluent. Research technical completion report, contract No. DE-AS07-80ID12167", Idaho Waters Digital Library, University of Idaho Library Digital Collections, https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/iwdl/items/iwdl-198403.html
Rights
Rights:
In copyright, educational use permitted. Educational use includes non-commercial reproduction of text and images in materials for teaching and research purposes. For other contexts beyond fair use, including digital reproduction, please contact the University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives Department at libspec@uidaho.edu. The University of Idaho Library is not liable for any violations of the law by users.
Standardized Rights:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
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