Soil Salinity: The Biggest Problem Growing in Your Fields

Salinity hasn’t gone away—and in some parts of South Dakota, it may be setting up for a comeback.

In this short, focused episode, Buz Kloot sits down with conservationist Shane Jordan to unpack why conditions are aligning for salinity to re-emerge as a serious issue this year. What looks like a dry start may actually be the trigger for something deeper—literally.

This episode sets the stage for understanding the problem before diving into solutions in Part 2.

What You’ll Learn

Why last year’s wet conditions are still affecting fields today

How a rising water table + dry conditions can amplify salinity

The role of capillary rise in bringing salts to the soil surface

Why bare soil and lack of living roots make the problem worse

How management decisions (tillage, crop loss, inputs) contribute to risk

Why salinity is ultimately a water cycle problem, not just a soil issue

“When we get a really wet year followed by a dry one… we actually see a lot of these salts get enhanced.”

Key Insight