Together, Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Water Resources Center, are researching
how to improve water availability in southwest Oklahoma. To improve water availability,
saline water is being combined with freshwater or directly applied to crops, depending
on the crop’s salinity tolerance.
Adding saline water to freshwater could stretch available water supplies, but the
key is keeping the salinity levels balances, so they do not harm the crops or soil.
Researchers will use a new tool called SWAT-MODFLOW to evaluate scenarios of combining
various levels of saline water combined with freshwater.
Data is being developed by researchers that will be used to generate models by continuously
monitoring seven surface water bodies and three groundwater wells in southwest Oklahoma.
This will show how salinity changes throughout the year as it moves through the water
systems and wells.
