The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

Organization of monitoring
(startercycle)
Progress of monitoring
(second cycle etc.)
I stage
II stage
III stage
Initial survey
Repeated survey
Repeated field and 
laboratory studies
Processing of data 
collected before
Revised map
of soil salinization
Map of soil 
salinization rates

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Chapter 2.Methods of studying, mapping and monitoring saline and alkaline soils 
2.5. Experiences of the Eurasian Region countries in soil monitoring
2.5.1.  Organization of research and assessment of the state of irrigated lands in Ukraine
S.A. Balyuk, A.A. Nosonenko and M.A. Zakharova (Ukraine)
In this country, water and soil amelioration monitoring and research is organized by the State 
Water Resources Agency of  Ukraine. The monitoring of  salt-affected and irrigated soils is based 
on observations and assessments of  their condition parameters, which include hydrological and 
soil properties, irrigation water quality and crop yields. All these parameters should be determined 
simultaneously on specific key sites, which should be chosen and recorded in a manner that allows 
for the comparison of  ecological and agricultural characteristics of  formerly and currently irrigated 
and non-irrigated lands.
The determination of  parameters within a unified interconnected system of  ‘irrigation and ground 
waters – soils – plants’ is the only way to obtain the most accurate and full understanding of  the 
influences  of   groundwater  (in  hydromorphic  and  semi-hydromorphic  situations)  and  irrigation 
water on pedogenic processes and soil properties as well as the growth and development of  crops 
and the quality of  agricultural produce. This method was developed and tested by the Laboratory 
of  Fertility of  Irrigated and Solonetzized soils of  the Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry 
Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky (Kharkiv) [13].
The aim of  this method is to produce a spatial assessment of  the character and degree of  soil 
degradation processes on formerly and currently irrigated non- irrigated and adjacent lands as 
well as the impact of  these processes on soil fertility parameters (agrophysical, agrochemical, 
physicochemical and toxicological), crop yields and the quality of  produce. The practical 
implementation of  this method should precede the planning of  ecological-agricultural monitoring 
systems within large irrigated areas to optimize the choice of  key sites (plots, points) for monitoring 
and for the correct delineations of  land areas that differ in their ecological- agricultural state.
Organizational issues, the survey and assessment criteria and indicators of  the ecological- 
agricultural state of  irrigated land in Ukraine are outlined in 
Annex  C.3.
2.5.2.  Main criteria and indicators for monitoring of soils as a natural resource