Irrigation Water Resource Management for Sustainable Agriculture—The Ankobra Basin, Ghana

Abstract

Two irrigation water assessment methods, the USDA classification scheme and the soil infiltration potential, were applied to water from three different locations (Ankwaso, Dominase, and Prestea) of the Ankobra River basin in Ghana, to evaluate its effectiveness as a sustainable water resource for irrigation. The study classifies water from all three locations into the low salinity, low sodicity zone with Prestea and Ankwaso having waters of the highest sodicity and salinity, respectively. A classification scheme based on effects of the water on the hydraulic properties of soils reveals that water from all locations of the basin has the potential to affect the infiltration properties of soils, especially when applied over a long period of time. Linear regression analysis indicates a strong relationship between electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) at