IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v245y2021ics0378377420321922.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Water balance trends in irrigated canal commands and its implications for sustainable water management in Pakistan: Evidence from 1981 to 2012

Author

Listed:
  • Ahmad, Mobin-ud-Din
  • Peña-Arancibia, Jorge L.
  • Stewart, Joel P.
  • Kirby, John M.

Abstract

The Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) of Pakistan is a major user of surface and groundwater and provides food and economic security for about 207 million people. To assess the impact of agricultural development on water resources, we developed surface water balances for its canal commands and examined trends from 1981‐82 to 2012‐13. In this semi-arid environment, crop water use is the major water balance term. We estimated it by computing actual evapotranspiration (ETa) from two different remote sensing methods, ETLook and CMRSET, to account for method uncertainty. Net groundwater use was a small component of the water balance in most canal commands, particularly in the Sindh province. The measured or estimated known terms in the water balance did not result in its closure; and a balance term of unaccounted outflows and inflows was required to close it. Measured and readily estimated components amounted to 80 – 90% of the water balance components, with unaccounted inflows and outflows accounting for the remaining 10 – 20%. Of the measured water balance terms, rainfall showed no statistically significant trend in any canal command, whereas canal deliveries decreased significantly in many canal commands. Overall, ETa generally increased in Punjab and decreased slightly in Sindh. The magnitude of the increases in ETa differed between the ETLook and CMRSET estimates. The historical trends in the balance term (unaccounted outflows and inflows) together with falling groundwater levels show that water use is becoming less sustainable in several canal commands, especially in the Punjab province. The trend to a less sustainable position results particularly from water use in the dry Rabi season.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad, Mobin-ud-Din & Peña-Arancibia, Jorge L. & Stewart, Joel P. & Kirby, John M., 2021. "Water balance trends in irrigated canal commands and its implications for sustainable water management in Pakistan: Evidence from 1981 to 2012," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:245:y:2021:i:c:s0378377420321922
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106648
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377420321922
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2020.106648?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anwar, Arif A. & Bhatti, Muhammad Tousif, 2018. "Pakistan’s Water Apportionment Accord of 1991: 25 years and beyond," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 144(1):1-14.
    2. Mobin-ud-Din Ahmad & J. M. Kirby & M. J. M. Cheema, 2019. "Impact of agricultural development on evapotranspiration trends in the irrigated districts of Pakistan: evidence from 1981 to 2012," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(1), pages 51-73, January.
    3. Khan, A. H. & Vehmeyer, P. W. & Reichert, A. P. & Kalwij, I. M. & Lashari, B. & Skogerboe, G. V., 1999. "Water supply and water balance studies for the Fordwah Eastern Sadiqia (South) Project area," IWMI Research Reports H026020, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Kijne, J. W., 1996. "Water and salinity balances for irrigated agriculture in Pakistan," IWMI Research Reports H019242, International Water Management Institute.
    5. Liu, Zhongyi & Chen, Hang & Huo, Zailin & Wang, Fengxin & Shock, Clinton C., 2016. "Analysis of the contribution of groundwater to evapotranspiration in an arid irrigation district with shallow water table," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 131-141.
    6. Kirby, Mac & Ahmad, Mobin-ud-Din & Mainuddin, Mohammed & Khaliq, Tasneem & Cheema, M.J.M., 2017. "Agricultural production, water use and food availability in Pakistan: Historical trends, and projections to 2050," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 34-46.
    7. Sharma, B. R., 1999. "Regional salt- and water-balance modelling for sustainable irrigated agriculture," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 129-134, March.
    8. Simons, G.W.H. & Bastiaanssen, W.G.M. & Cheema, M.J.M. & Ahmad, B. & Immerzeel, W.W., 2020. "A novel method to quantify consumed fractions and non-consumptive use of irrigation water: Application to the Indus Basin Irrigation System of Pakistan," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    9. Kijne, Jacob W. & Barker, Randolph & Molden, David J. (ed.), 2003. "Water productivity in agriculture: limits and opportunities for improvement," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 138054.
    10. Droogers, P. & Immerzeel, W.W. & Lorite, I.J., 2010. "Estimating actual irrigation application by remotely sensed evapotranspiration observations," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(9), pages 1351-1359, September.
    11. Bastiaanssen, W. G. M. & Ahmad, Mobin-ud-Din & Tahir, Z., 2003. "Upscaling water productivity in irrigated agriculture using remote-sensing and GIS technologies," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    12. Kijne, J. W. & Barker, R. & Molden. D., 2003. "Water productivity in agriculture: limits and opportunities for improvement," IWMI Books, Reports H032631, International Water Management Institute.
    13. Marit Brochmann, 2012. "Signing River Treaties—Does It Improve River Cooperation?," International Interactions, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 141-163, April.
    14. Hamid Sarfraz, 2013. "Revisiting the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 204-216, March.
    15. Bastiaanssen, W. & Ahmad, Mobin-ud -Din & Tahir, Z., 2003. "Upscaling water productivity in irrigated agriculture using remote-sensing and GIS technologies," IWMI Books, Reports H032648, International Water Management Institute.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Feng & Wang, Yulong & Lyu, Hanqiang & Fan, Zhilong & Hu, Falong & He, Wei & Yin, Wen & Zhao, Cai & Chai, Qiang & Yu, Aizhong, 2023. "No-tillage mulch with leguminous green manure retention reduces soil evaporation and increases yield and water productivity of maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    2. Zhao, Tianxing & Zhu, Yan & Ye, Ming & Yang, Jinzhong & Jia, Biao & Mao, Wei & Wu, Jingwei, 2022. "A new approach for estimating spatial-temporal phreatic evapotranspiration at a regional scale using NDVI and water table depth measurements," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Li, Xiaolin & Tong, Ling & Niu, Jun & Kang, Shaozhong & Du, Taisheng & Li, Sien & Ding, Risheng, 2017. "Spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water productivity and its driving factors for cereal crops in Hexi Corridor, Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 55-63.
    2. Huang, Feng & Li, Baoguo, 2010. "Assessing grain crop water productivity of China using a hydro-model-coupled-statistics approach: Part I: Method development and validation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(7), pages 1077-1092, July.
    3. Ahmad, Mirza Junaid & Iqbal, Muhammad Anjum & Choi, Kyung Sook, 2020. "Climate-driven constraints in sustaining future wheat yield and water productivity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    4. Battude, Marjorie & Al Bitar, Ahmad & Brut, Aurore & Tallec, Tiphaine & Huc, Mireille & Cros, Jérôme & Weber, Jean-Jacques & Lhuissier, Ludovic & Simonneaux, Vincent & Demarez, Valérie, 2017. "Modeling water needs and total irrigation depths of maize crop in the south west of France using high spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 123-136.
    5. Thayalakumaran, T. & Bethune, M.G. & McMahon, T.A., 2007. "Achieving a salt balance--Should it be a management objective?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(1-2), pages 1-12, August.
    6. Qadir, M. & Sharma, B.R. & Bruggeman, A. & Choukr-Allah, R. & Karajeh, F., 2007. "Non-conventional water resources and opportunities for water augmentation to achieve food security in water scarce countries," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 2-22, January.
    7. Sharma, Bharat R. & Minhas, P.S., 2005. "Strategies for managing saline/alkali waters for sustainable agricultural production in South Asia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(1-2), pages 136-151, September.
    8. Ren, Dongyang & Xu, Xu & Engel, Bernard & Huang, Quanzhong & Xiong, Yunwu & Huo, Zailin & Huang, Guanhua, 2021. "A comprehensive analysis of water productivity in natural vegetation and various crops coexistent agro-ecosystems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    9. Immerzeel, W.W. & Gaur, A. & Zwart, S.J., 2008. "Integrating remote sensing and a process-based hydrological model to evaluate water use and productivity in a south Indian catchment," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 11-24, January.
    10. Zwart, Sander J. & Bastiaanssen, Wim G. M., 2004. "Review of measured crop water productivity values for irrigated wheat, rice, cotton and maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 115-133, September.
    11. Mohammad Alauddin & Upali A. Amarasinghe & Bharat R. Sharma, 2014. "Four decades of rice water productivity in Bangladesh: A spatio-temporal analysis of district level panel data," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 51-64.
    12. Dugan, Patrick & Dey, Madan M. & Sugunan, V.V., 2006. "Fisheries and water productivity in tropical river basins: Enhancing food security and livelihoods by managing water for fish," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 80(1-3), pages 262-275, February.
    13. Kumar, M. Dinesh & Singh, O.P. & Samad, Madar & Purohit, Chaitali & Didyala, Malkit Singh, 2009. "Water productivity of irrigated agriculture in India: potential areas for improvement," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    14. T. Fowe & I. Nouiri & B. Ibrahim & H. Karambiri & J. Paturel, 2015. "OPTIWAM: An Intelligent Tool for Optimizing Irrigation Water Management in Coupled Reservoir–Groundwater Systems," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(10), pages 3841-3861, August.
    15. Scheierling, Susanne M. & Treguer, David O. & Booker, James F. & Decker, Elisabeth, 2014. "How to assess agricultural water productivity ? looking for water in the agricultural productivity and efficiency literature," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6982, The World Bank.
    16. Manel Ben Hassen & Federica Monaco & Arianna Facchi & Marco Romani & Giampiero Valè & Guido Sali, 2017. "Economic Performance of Traditional and Modern Rice Varieties under Different Water Management Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-10, February.
    17. Molden, David & Sakthivadivel, Ramasamy & Samad, Madar & Burton, Martin, 2005. "Phases of river basin development: the need for adaptive institutions," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    18. Trigo-Córdoba, Emiliano & Bouzas-Cid, Yolanda & Orriols-Fernández, Ignacio & Mirás-Avalos, José Manuel, 2015. "Effects of deficit irrigation on the performance of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) cv. ‘Godello’ and ‘Treixadura’ in Ribeiro, NW Spain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 20-30.
    19. Kang, Shaozhong & Hao, Xinmei & Du, Taisheng & Tong, Ling & Su, Xiaoling & Lu, Hongna & Li, Xiaolin & Huo, Zailin & Li, Sien & Ding, Risheng, 2017. "Improving agricultural water productivity to ensure food security in China under changing environment: From research to practice," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 5-17.
    20. Ghahroodi, E. Mokari & Noory, H. & Liaghat, A.M., 2015. "Performance evaluation study and hydrologic and productive analysis of irrigation systems at the Qazvin irrigation network (Iran)," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 189-195.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:245:y:2021:i:c:s0378377420321922. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.