Soil quality changes due to flood irrigation in agricultural fields along the Rio Grande in western Texas

During initial irrigation where soils were saturated, soil water also percolated and recharged to underlying aquifers, and thus salts, nutrients, and trace metals from agricultural practices (i.e., application of fertilizers, irrigation, soil amendments, and pesticide) could be mobilized to shallow groundwaters. This implied that chemistry of Rio Grande river, groundwater, and soil was closely linked. Thus the sustainability of agriculture depended on appropriate water, soil and crop management practices.