Seepage Reduction from Unlined Irrigation Canals: Water Quality and Seepage Reduction Effectiveness

Polyacrylamide is a class of long-chain synthetic polymers that is used extensively in food packaging, paper manufacturing, wastewater treatment, and as a soil amendment to reduce erosion. More recently, linear, anionic polyacrylamides (LA-PAM) have been used to reduce seepage from unlined irrigation canals in the western United States. A diverse set of experiments spanning multiple scales has been initiated to understand the efficacy of LA-PAM usage in canal environments. The physical application of granular LA-PAM to flowing canals is straightforward. However, granular PAM requires time to hydrate and react with sediment suspended in the water column, complicating the targeting of a specific canal reach for treatment. Factors that influence PAM's ability to reduce seepage will be discussed, and can include: water temperature, water velocity, and the cation balance and suspended sediment concentration in the canal water. The application method and mass of PAM that are applied are also important considerations. If the ability of PAM to form flocs with suspended sediment is overestimated, PAM will travel further downstream, potentially having an adverse impact on water quality and/or ecology. Negative impacts include livestock drinking out of the canal, the unintentional reduction of seepage water feeding adjacent wetlands or sensitive areas, and impacts on receiving waters. A combination of results from working canals and small scale, artificial Test Troughs will be used to address the impacts that different LA-PAM applications can have on water quality and seepage reduction effectiveness.