Water logging refers to the saturation of soil pore spaces with water and combined with surface ponding/flooding. This can be caused by a combination of factors from heavy rainfall, poor drainage, flooding, and the rise of the groundwater table. When water occupies most of the soil’s pore spaces, it reduces the amount of air available to plant roots and microorganisms. Water logging can be “temporary” lasting less than a few days —or prolonged, where the soil remains saturated for extended for weeks and over a month.
Despite being mostly considered a hazard, water logging carries an important agricultural benefit. In rice cultivation, for instance, controlled water logging is beneficial because paddy crops thrive under submerged conditions that suppress weed growth and promote nutrient availability. Additionally, in regions prone to drought, temporary water logging can help store water in the soil for later use when conditions become dry.
However, the hazards of water logging often outweigh its benefits, especially when it occurs unexpectedly and without proper management and preparations. Prolonged water saturation reduces oxygen availability to plant roots, leading to stunted growth, and eventually after excessive exposure – crop failure. Water logging can cause serious infrastructure damage, disrupt transportation, and create breeding grounds for mosquitoes and water-borne diseases. Over time, persistent water logging can degrade agricultural land and lower its productivity, posing economic challenges for farmers and communities dependent on agriculture.
For JO-CREWSNet – we use the Community Terrestrial Systems Model (CTSM) to provide detailed modeling of the soil profiles and vegetation/crop landscapes. We make projections of the occurrence and duration of waterlogging events over a range of possible climate warming scenarios. This allows us inform local communities as to how these events may change under human-forced warming and make necessary preparations and precautions.