THE CURRENT STATE OF THE SALT STATUS OF SOILS IN ARTESIAN SPRINGS IMPACT ZONE OF THE NORTH-WESTERN CASPIAN REGION

Abstract

The paper is devoted to soil cover degradation in the northen part of the Republic of Dagestan. Soil degradation is affected by irrational using free flowing underground water of artesians. Intensive extraction of underground water for domestic drinking water supply and pastures watering leads to irreversible processes in the soil cover. The study of salt spreading processes in soils caused by technogenic pressure is mainly considered for humid zone, in arid zone such work was not carried out. In this regard, the aim of the study is to clarify the state of the salt balance of soils for possible technogenic halogenesis under the conditions of a long half-century, continuous impact of artesian sources. The analysis of the territorial spreading of salts is considered on the example of soils of the marine coast and the central part of the Terek-Kuma lowland, represented by varieties of meadow saline and light chestnut soils. Taking into account the conditions of mutual location, experimental plots were selected with reference to artesian sources in the marine coast and in the continental part. Experimental and control sections were laid at experimental plots. Soil samples and artesian water samples were tested for the content of light soluble salts using conventional methods. It was established that under conditions of self-flowing artesian sources the soil of the continental part is characterized by an increased salt content and is 0.26-0.48% according to the profile against the background of the salt content in the samples of control plots – 0.11-0.17%. Coastal soils are characterized by a higher degree of salinization, the influence of mineralized water sources has a desalinization impact. On the test plot the salt content is 0.31–0.51%, in the control plot – 1.22–4.29%.