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Determining the influence of irrigation efficiency improvement on water use and consumption by conceptually considering hydrological pathways

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  • Zhang, Ling
  • Ma, Qimin
  • Zhao, Yanbo
  • Wu, Xiaobo
  • Yu, Wenjun

Abstract

Improving irrigation efficiency is widely believed to be a promising opportunity for large water savings. However, more and more voices have been raised against this idea in recent years. This study investigated the impacts of irrigation efficiency improvement on water use and consumption by combining an agro-economic model with the conceptualization of hydrological pathways. The investigation was conducted under two different conditions, i.e., Case 1: unlimited water supply and restricted irrigatable land, and Case 2: limited water supply and unrestricted irrigatable land. At the scale of the WUU, we found that the water uses could be reduced significantly after improving irrigation efficiency, while the water consumptions would be of similar magnitudes for different irrigation techniques under the condition of Case 1. However, in the condition of Case 2, the water uses would be inelastic to the enhanced irrigation efficiency; and the water consumption would increase slightly if the fixed cost ratio is high. At the scale of the irrigation system, the reductions in water use, as a result of efficiency improvement, would be more and more insignificant in response to increasing water cost ratios and numbers of WUUs under the condition of Case 1. In contrast, the water uses would increase, although with small magnitudes, when the fixed cost ratios and the number of reuse cycles are relatively high under the condition of Case 2. This study demonstrated that alternative restrictions on water supply and irrigatable land could effectively constrain water use and consumption after modernizing the irrigation systems. The sensitivity of the major assumptions, and the uncertainties and limitations have been revealed and discussed, along with some implications for agricultural water managements. The findings can shed some light on the lively debate regarding the effectiveness of technological water saving measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Ling & Ma, Qimin & Zhao, Yanbo & Wu, Xiaobo & Yu, Wenjun, 2019. "Determining the influence of irrigation efficiency improvement on water use and consumption by conceptually considering hydrological pathways," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 674-681.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:213:y:2019:i:c:p:674-681
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2018.11.016
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    2. Cai, Wenjuan & Jiang, Xiaohui & Sun, Haotian & He, Jiaying & Deng, Chun & Lei, Yuxin, 2022. "Temporal and spatial variation and driving factors of water consumption in the middle Heihe river basin before and after the implementation of the"97 water diversion scheme"," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    3. Fanglei Zhong & Lili Li & Aijun Guo & Xiaoyu Song & Qingping Cheng & Yongnian Zhang & Xiaojiang Ding, 2019. "Quantifying the Influence Path of Water Conservation Awareness on Water-Saving Irrigation Behavior Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Structural Equation Modeling: A Case Study from Northwest," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-16, September.
    4. Zhou, Qing & Zhang, Yali & Wu, Feng, 2021. "Evaluation of the most proper management scale on water use efficiency and water productivity: A case study of the Heihe River Basin, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    5. Cai, Wenjuan & Jiang, Xiaohui & Sun, Haotian & Lei, Yuxin & Nie, Tong & Li, Lichan, 2023. "Spatial scale effect of irrigation efficiency paradox based on water accounting framework in Heihe River Basin, Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    6. Fei, Rilong & Xie, Mengyuan & Wei, Xin & Ma, Ding, 2021. "Has the water rights system reform restrained the water rebound effect? Empirical analysis from China's agricultural sector," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    7. Espinosa-Tasón, Jaime & Berbel, Julio & Gutiérrez-Martín, Carlos, 2020. "Energized water: Evolution of water-energy nexus in the Spanish irrigated agriculture, 1950–2017," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).

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