Salinisation of Coastal Soils in Relation to River Water Seepage

An estimation of the nature and extent of salinisation in the coastal tract of Tamluk subdivision, Midnapore, West Bengal revealed that the soils, of which the salinity (ECe) ranged between 1.8 and 52.4 mmhos cm−1 were, in general, degraded saline-alkali. Most of the river and tank water samples, collected randomly from the area, exhibited high salinity. The intensity of salinity, as characterised by EC, SAR and concentrations of Cl− and NaCl of both surface soil and ground waters, in general, increased with decreasing distance from the rivers and sea coast. Differences in water table from 0.3 to 0.6 m over a distance of 3.22 km possibly contributed to the seepage of saline river water, causing salinity to increase inland.