Aprovechamiento de los sedimentos de los embalses como nutrientes para la fertilización de suelos agrícolas en la República Dominicana

Abstract

Use of reservoir sediments as nutrients for the fertilization of agricultural soils in the Dominican Republic. The research project “Use of Reservoir Sediments as Nutrients for the Fertilization of Agricultural Soils in the Dominican Republic”, financed by FONDOCyT and in consortium with the University of Évora, Portugal. It addresses the problem of erosion in the hydrographic basins and sedimentation in the Sabana Yegua reservoirs located in the southern region of the Dominican Republic and Tavera in the northern region. The purpose of was to determine the nutritional quality of the sediments stored in the reservoirs, to use it as a soil improvement amendment in degraded areas of the basin, to ensure a greater water storage capacity in the reservoirs and improve its quality, with the purpose to guarantee the generation of hydroelectricity and supply the irrigation demand of agricultural producers. The method consisted of sampling the soils in the hydrographic basins, the sediments within the reservoirs, as well as in the water and determining the organic and inorganic elements and heavy metals. The results showed that the sediments of the reservoirs have a greater nutritional richness than the soils of the basins. The water Dominican Republic. The findings confirm the environmental benefits of using sediments as agricultural amendments. However, the economic analysis reveals that the use of these sediments as fertilizer makes it unprofitable for producers, due to the high costs of extraction, drying, transportation and application at the parcel level. It is recommended to carry out other studies in new agroclimatic zones and with other more profitable crops to evaluate profitability.