Review papersHydrological problems of water resources in irrigated agriculture: A management perspective

•Various measures used for the management of waterlogging and salinity are provided.•The processes and severity of waterlogging and salinity problems are presented.•The role of drainage systems in managing the waterlogging problems are discussed.•The conjunctive use of various water sources and mathematical models are discussed.•The use of remote sensing and GIS techniques in managing the problems are detailed.

The development of irrigated agriculture is necessary for fulfilling the rising food requirements of the burgeoning global population. However, the intensification of irrigated agriculture causes the twin menace of waterlogging and soil salinization in arid and semiarid regions where more than 75% of the world's population lives. These problems can be managed by either adopting preventive measures which decrease the inflow of water and salt or by employing remedial measures which increase the outflow. This paper presents an overview of various measures used for the management of waterlogging and salinity problems. The background, processes involved, and severity of waterlogging and salinity problems are provided. The role of drainage systems, conjunctive use of different water sources, use of computer-based mathematical models, and the use of remote sensing and GIS techniques in managing the problems are discussed. Conclusions are provided which could be useful for all the stakeholders.