Evaluating irrigation performance in a Mediterranean environment. I. Model and general assessment of an irrigation scheme

Flashcards about Irrigation Performance in a Mediterranean Environment

What does the irrigation water supply:demand ratio represent?

The ratio of measured irrigation supply to the simulated optimum demand.

What were the relatively high values observed for the ratio of actual:attainable crop yields in the GCIS?

0.72–0.83

What was the range and average of water productivity (WP) in the GCIS during the 4 years studied?

Between 0.72 e/m3 and 1.99 e/m3, averaging 1.42 e/m3.

What was the average irrigation water productivity (IWP) in the GCIS during the study period?

0.63 e/m3 for the period studied.

What is expected to cause a decrease in the availability of water for irrigation in the future?

Increased demands from other sectors such as municipal, tourism, recreation, and the environment.

What is the estimated fresh-water demand in Spain and what percentage is devoted to irrigation?

35·10^5 m3/year, with about 70% devoted to irrigation.

What are the important objectives to achieve more efficient use of water in Spanish irrigation schemes?

System modernization/rehabilitation and improvement of irrigation management.

What is required as a point of departure for improving water management in an irrigation scheme?

Assessment of irrigation performance.

Where is the Genil–Cabra irrigation scheme (GCIS) located?

Cordoba, Spain (37 31¢ N, 4 51¢ W)

What is the climate of the study area?

Mediterranean continental with an annual average precipitation of 606 mm and a rainless summer.

What are the predominant soils in the GCIS area?

Chromic Haploxererts (35%) and Typic Xerorthent (34.7%).

What are the most important crops in the GCIS area?

Winter cereals, sunflower, cotton, and garlic.

What type of irrigation system services the GCIS area?

A modern pressurized irrigation-delivery system allowing complete flexibility of frequency, rate, and duration of water delivery.

How many parcels are of less than 2 ha in the land tenure structure?

290 parcels.

How was data collected on the crops?

Crops on each parcel were recorded, and cumulative water-meter readings were taken multiple times during each season.

What system was most common for herbaceous crops?

Portable sprinkler systems.

What was GIS tools used for?

Overlaying the parcel with soil maps to characterize the soil of each parcel and generate the computation units.

What were the inflows in the daily soil water-balance model?

Rainfall and irrigation.

What were the outflows in the daily soil water-balance model?

Crop transpiration, soil evaporation, surface runoff, and deep percolation.

What six performance indicators were chosen from assessing the quality of irrigation in the area?

Annual relative irrigation supply (ARIS), annual relative water supply (ARWS), drainage ratio (DR), crop yield ratio (CYR), water productivity (WP) and irrigation water productivity (IWP).