Semi- Detailed Soil Survey of the Proposed Bura East Irrigation Settlement Scheme 1981

Abstract

The present soil survey is the third of the Kenya Soil Survey series of semi - detailed soil surveys. The report describes the soil conditions of the proposed Bura East Irrigation Settlement Scheme and gives an evaluation of the suitability of the soils in the area for irrigated agriculture. The primary concern has been to examine the physical and chemical conditions of the soils in the area as much as the scale of mapping (1:20,000) could allow. Special emphasis was laid on those soil properties that could influence the irrigability of these soils. An ample description of the methods employed is given in this report. Chapter 4 gives a comprehensive description of the morphological, physical and chemical characteristics of the soils. It is shown in this report that the soils have developed on the same parent material but they differ widely in calcareousness, salinity and sodicity. The deep subsoils have low structure stability under wet conditions. This, together with high salinity and sodicity are considered as the major limitations of these soils for irrigated agriculture.