ABSTRACT
Drought and fresh water shortage are the main limiting factors for sustainable development of agriculture in North China Plain. Using shallow saline groundwater to irrigating double cropping of wheat and summer corn enables to increasing yields 1.2–1.6 times than that of non-irrigation. Exploiting and utilizing shallow groundwater include slightly saline water for irrigation enables to regulate the groundwater table at a sufficient depth to transform the variable natural rainfall into a more reliable water resource for the comprehensive control of drought, waterlogging, salinity and saline water. This paper reviews the research and practice of utilization and reclamation of shallow saline groundwater: technology of using saline water for irrigation, salt tolerance index of crops, regulation of soil salt-water regime and reclamation of groundwater quality. That indicated the effective approaches for rational development and utilization of local water resources.
