Rising temperatures leading to increased soil salinity in irrigation areas.
Climate change is causing soil salinity to increase in the Hetao irrigation area. As temperatures rise, soil water evaporation speeds up, leading to more salt in the soil. Less water from the Yellow River and more local water-saving projects are also contributing to the problem. Over the past 18 years, soil salt levels have been rising in the area. For every 0.5-3.0 ℃ increase in temperature, soil salt content goes up by 0.03-0.28 g/kg. To combat this, around 682.16-2 171.20 m3 of water per hectare will be needed to leach out the excess salts.