A simulation and prediction of agricultural irrigation on groundwater in well irrigation area of the piedmont of Mt. Taihang,North China

Declining groundwater levels caused by irrigation is the main problem for agricultural development in Northern China. Due to both economics and increased population, surface water has become almost non‐existent and groundwater is the only water resource left. Currently the groundwater is declining at a rate between 50 and 100 cm per year. Sustainable development in Northern China requires effective management of the groundwater resources. In this study, the effect of future irrigation patterns on the decline of the groundwater table is examined with the aid of MODFLOW. MODFLOW was calibrated for five observation wells in the county. The calibrated model fitted the observed data well over a 7‐year period. The simulated results showed that the groundwater decline would be decreased, and perhaps halted, by decreasing the use of irrigation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater recharge and discharge in a hyperarid alluvial plain (Akesu,Taklimakan Desert,China)

Groundwater recharge and discharge in the Akesu alluvial plain were estimated using a water balance method. The Akesu alluvial plain (4842 km²) is an oasis located in the hyperarid Tarim River basin of central Asia. The land along the Akesu River has a long history of agricultural development and the irrigation area is highly dependent on water withdrawals from the river. We present a water balance methodology to describe (a) surface water and groundwater interaction and (b) groundwater interaction between irrigated and non‐irrigated areas. Groundwater is recharged from the irrigation system and discharged in the non‐irrigated area. Uncultivated vegetation and wetlands are supplied from groundwater in the hyperarid environment. Results show that about 90% of groundwater recharge came from canal loss and field infiltration. The groundwater flow from irrigated to non‐irrigated areas was about 70% of non‐irrigated area recharge and acted as subsurface drainage for the irrigation area. This desalinated the irrigation area and supplied water to the non‐irrigated area. Salt moved to the non‐irrigation area following subsurface drainage. We conclude that the flooding of the Akesu River is a supplemental groundwater replenishment mechanism: the river desalinates the alluvial plain by recharging fresh water in summer and draining saline regeneration water in winter. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling potential impacts of coalbed methane development on stream water quality in an American watershed

Coalbed methane (CBM) development raises serious environmental concerns and concerted efforts have been made to collect chemistry, salinity, and sodicity data on CBM produced water. A model is sorely needed to make use of this data to quantify potential changes in stream water quality resulting from directly and/or indirectly receiving CBM produced water, on which little information is available in the literature. However, the application of existing hydrodynamic and water quality models such as CE‐QUAL‐W2 is not straightforward because the number of outfalls is usually large and the channels poorly defined for intermittent streams in semiarid areas such as the Powder River watershed, located in the states of Wyoming and Montana. Hence, the objectives of this study were to: (1) develop a CBM produced water routing (CBMPRO) model, and (2) apply the new CBMPRO model, along with a CE‐QUAL‐W2 model, to examine potential changes in stream water quality due to CBM development in the Powder River watershed. The CBMPRO model was developed and used to chart the CBM discharge and the transport of its associated constituents (e.g. total dissolved solids and alkalinity) from an outfall to its inclusive subwatershed outlet. In turn, the outputs from the CBMPRO model were applied as inputs into the CE‐QUAL‐W2 model to predict changes in the water quantity and quality along the Powder River mainstem. The results indicate that discharges from CBM developments adversely affect the stream water quality. Compared with the baseline conditions, the developments would increase the stream flows as well as make the stream water warmer and more saline. In addition, the impacts were predicted to undergo seasonal and spatial variations and to become smaller with time, as expected. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Uniform and lateral preferential flows under flood irrigation at field scale

Flood irrigation is globally one of the most used irrigation methods. Typically, not all water that is applied during flood irrigation is consumed by plants or lost to evaporation. Return flow, the portion of applied water from flood irrigation that returns back to streams either via surface or subsurface flow, can constitute a large part of the water balance. Few studies have addressed the connection between vertical and lateral subsurface flows and its potential role in determining return flow pathways due to the difficulty in observing and quantifying these processes at plot or field scale. We employed a novel approach, combining induced polarization, time‐lapse electrical resistivity tomography, and time‐lapse borehole nuclear magnetic resonance, to identify flow paths and quantify changes in soil hydrological conditions under nonuniform application of flood irrigation water. We developed and tested a new method to track the wetting front in the subsurface using the full range of inverted resistivity values. Antecedent soil moisture conditions did not play an important role in preferential flow path activation. More importantly, boundaries between lithological zones in the soil profile were observed to control preferential flow pathways with subsurface run‐off occurring at these boundaries when saturation occurred. Using the new method to analyse time‐lapse resistivity measurements, we were able to track the wetting front and identify subsurface flow paths. Both uniform infiltration and preferential lateral flows were observed. Combining three geophysical methods, we documented the influence of lithology on subsurface flow processes. This study highlights the importance of characterizing the subsurface when the objective is to identify and quantify subsurface return flow pathways under flood irrigation.     

Assessing crop yield and crop water productivity and optimizing irrigation scheduling of winter wheat and summer maize in the Haihe plain using SWAT model

Haihe plain is an important food production area in China, facing an increasing water shortage. The water used for agriculture accounts for about 70% of total water resources. Thus, it is critical to optimize the irrigation scheduling for saving water and increasing crop water productivity (CWP). This study first simulated crop yield and CWP for winter wheat and summer maize in historical scenario during 1961–2005 for Haihe plain using previously well‐established Soil and Water Assessment Tool model. Then, scenarios under historical irrigation (scenario 1) and sufficient irrigation (scenario 2) were, respectively, simulated both with sufficient fertilizer. The crop yield in scenario 2 was considered as the potential crop yield. The optimal irrigation scheduling with sufficient fertilizer (scenario 3) was explored by iteratively adjusting irrigation scheduling based on the scenario 1 and previous studies related to water stress on crop growth. Results showed that net irrigation amount was, respectively, reduced 23.1% and 18.8% in scenario 3 for winter wheat and summer maize when compared with scenario 1. The CWP was 12.1% and 8.2% higher with very slight change of crop yield. Using optimal irrigation scheduling could save 8.8 × 10⁸ m³ irrigation water and reduce about 16.3% groundwater over‐exploitation in winter wheat growth period. The corresponding yield was 18.5% and 12.9% less than potential yield for winter wheat and summer maize but using less irrigation water. Therefore, it could be considered that the optimal irrigation was reasonable, which provided beneficial suggestions for increasing efficiency of agricultural water use with sustainable crop yield in Haihe plain. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantitative effects of changes in agricultural irrigation on potential evaporation

Evaporation is a key element to the basin's water cycle. Agricultural irrigation has resulted in a significant variation of regional potential evaporation (E_pen). The spatiotemporal variation of E_pen and influencing factors in natural, agricultural, and desert areas in different developmental stages of irrigation in Heihe River Basin (HRB) from 1970 to 2017 were comparatively analysed in this study. This work focused on the correction effect of irrigation on the variation of E_pen. Agricultural water consumption in HRB significantly varied around 1998 due to agricultural development and water policy. Under the influence of irrigation, annual variations of E_pen in agricultural, natural, and desert areas were significantly different. From 1970 to 1998, the annual trend slope of E_pen in natural area only reduced by 1 mm decade⁻¹, while that in agricultural area significantly decreased by 39 mm decade⁻¹. After the implementation of water-saving irrigation, E_pen in natural and agricultural areas increased by 11 and 54 mm decade⁻¹, respectively, from 1998 to 2017. In contrast with natural and agricultural areas, E_pen in desert area decreased by 80 mm decade⁻¹ from 1970 to 1998 and continuously decreased by 41 mm decade⁻¹ from 1998 to 2017. However, the regulatory effect of irrigation on E_pen in desert area started to manifest due to the expansion of cultivated land area from 2010 to 2017. Irrigation had a significant regulatory effect on the variation of E_pen in HRB. The regulatory effect was mainly reflected on the aerodynamic term (E_aero). Results indicated that the main meteorological factors influencing E_pen in each region were wind speed, which is 2 m above the surface (U₂), and water vapour deficit (VPD).     

Climate impacts on global irrigation requirements under 19 GCMs,simulated with a vegetation and hydrology model

Abstract

This study quantifies global changes in irrigation requirements for areas presently equipped for irrigation of major crop types, using climate projections from 19 GCMs up to the 2080s. Analysis is based on results from the global eco-hydrological model LPJmL that simulates the complex and dynamic interplay of direct and indirect climate change effects upon irrigation requirements. We find a decrease in global irrigation demand by ～17% in the ensemble median, due to a combination of beneficial CO₂ effects on plants, shorter growing periods and regional precipitation increases. In contrast, increases of >20% are projected with a high likelihood (i.e. in more than two thirds of the climate change scenarios) for some regions, including southern Europe, and, with a lower likelihood, for parts of Asia and North America as well. If CO₂ effects were not accounted for, however, global irrigation demand would hardly change, and increases would prevail in most regions except for southern Asia (where higher precipitation is projected). We stress that the CO₂ effects may not be realized everywhere, that irrigation requirements will probably increase further due to growing global food demand (not considered here), and that a significant amount of water to meet future irrigation requirements will have to be taken from fossil groundwater, environmental flow reserves or diverted rivers.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor A. Montanari

Citation Konzmann, M., Gerten, D., and Heinke, J., 2013. Climate impacts on global irrigation requirements under 19 GCMs, simulated with a vegetation and hydrology model. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (1), 1–18.     

甘肃秦王川灌区农业节水途径探讨

 甘肃秦王川灌区水资源紧缺,兰州新区城镇化建设加速水资源消耗趋势,使灌区水资源供需矛盾日渐突出,农业节水势在必行。根据中国西北干旱地区农业节水取得的成效和灌区农业生产节水试验,提出适宜于秦王川灌区农业节水的5条具体途径:①发展以地面灌溉为主的先进灌溉技术;②渠道衬砌;③农业节水技术与地膜覆盖栽培技术相结合;④推行膜下滴灌技术;⑤倡导节水文化,共建节水型社会。通过这些农业节水技术的实施,使秦王川灌区从简单的农业灌溉,转变为农业、城乡生活、生态、工业等多元用水格局,促进灌区经济可持续发展。     

Re‐examining green revolution diffusion and factor/input markets in Bangladesh after market liberalization

This paper re‐examines the effect of green revolution (GR) diffusion on factor/inputs demand in Bangladesh using an empirical model that allows for simultaneous determination of factors influencing adoption of GR technology at the current mature stage, as well as access to irrigation. Results reveal some alignments with conventional wisdom as well as few surprises. For example, while an increased demand for major inputs is expected, an increased demand for organic manure is an unexpected positive outcome. The GR adoption rate is significantly higher in villages with access to irrigation and fertile soils and, surprisingly, in infrastructurally underdeveloped villages. Together with other expected findings of GR technology uptake with higher cereal prices and irrigation use encouraged by access to credit, tenurial status and fertile soils, our findings suggest that investment in irrigation and soil conservation, as well as implementing measures to improve cereal prices and provide agricultural credit, could boost GR technology adoption.