Revegetation of a salt water blowout site
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Published source details
Halvorson G.A. & Lang K.J. (1989) Revegetation of a salt water blowout site. Journal of Range Management, 42, 61-65.
Published source details Halvorson G.A. & Lang K.J. (1989) Revegetation of a salt water blowout site. Journal of Range Management, 42, 61-65.
Summary
In western North Dakota (USA), a salt water blowout at an oil drilling site during 6-14 April 1982 killed most vegetation within a 30 ha area. The plant community included Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum, many graminoids (primarily western wheatgrass Agropyron smithii, blue grama Bouteloua gracilis, sideoats grama B.curtipendula, inland saltgrass Distichlis stricta, green needlegrass Stipa viridula, needle-and-thread S.comata and sedges Carex spp.), forbs, and shrubs (e.g. sagebrush Artemisia spp.). This study assessed the effectiveness of soil reclamation and vegetation recovery.
A contaminated area of about 1 ha alongside the western well edge and a nearby 1 ha reference site with no salt damage, were selected. Vegetation was surveyed (species basal cover estimated in quadrats) in July 1982. The contaminated area was then split into two: soil in the west half was not subject to reclamation; soil in the east half was ‘reclaimed’ by adding CaCl2 (a highly soluble form of calcium) at a rate of 1,200 kg/ha to irrigation water sufficient to leach at least the upper 15 cm of the soil.
In July 1982 on the contaminated area, inland saltgrass (basal cover 0.8% vs. 0.2% on reference site) was the only plant persisting. A few prickly pear Opuntia polycantha (0.2%) and Atriplex nuttali (0.1%) plants were just alive but subsequently died.
Note: If using or referring to this published study, please read and quote the original paper, this can be viewed at: https://www.uair.arizona.edu/holdings/journal/issue?r=http://jrm.library.arizona.edu/Volume42/Number1/
Output references
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