IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v304y2024ics0378377424003998.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimizing Irrigation Systems for Water Efficiency and Groundwater Sustainability in the Coastal Nile Delta

Author

Listed:
  • Abd-Elaty, Ismail
  • Ramadan, Elsayed M.
  • Elbagory, Ibrahim A.
  • Nosair, Ahmed M.
  • Kuriqi, Alban
  • Garrote, Luis
  • Ahmed, Ashraf A.

Abstract

This study investigates the replacement of traditional surface irrigation methods with modern irrigation systems (MIS) including horizontal sprinkler, central pivot, surface drip, and subsurface drip aimed at improving water efficiency in the Nile Delta, Egypt. The primary objectives were to determine the optimal agricultural area for implementing MIS and to assess the effects of these systems on groundwater quantity and quality in the region. To achieve this, the LINDO software was employed to optimize land allocation for each irrigation method. At the same time, the SEAWAT code was utilized to simulate saltwater intrusion (SWI) in the Nile Delta aquifer. The transition from traditional surface irrigation to MIS resulted in significant water savings, reaching 2.15 × 10^9 m³. However, groundwater modeling indicated a decrease in groundwater levels, leading to an 8 % increase in aquifer salinity due to reduced infiltration of recharge water. These findings underscore the urgent need to revise outdated irrigation practices and enhance water management strategies in the Nile Delta to mitigate salinity issues in coastal aquifers. This research's outcomes are crucial for decision-makers and stakeholders in selecting appropriate irrigation methods, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, to ensure sustainable water use and agricultural productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Abd-Elaty, Ismail & Ramadan, Elsayed M. & Elbagory, Ibrahim A. & Nosair, Ahmed M. & Kuriqi, Alban & Garrote, Luis & Ahmed, Ashraf A., 2024. "Optimizing Irrigation Systems for Water Efficiency and Groundwater Sustainability in the Coastal Nile Delta," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:304:y:2024:i:c:s0378377424003998
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109064
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424003998
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.109064?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. Julio Berbel & Alfonso Expósito & Carlos Gutiérrez-Martín & Luciano Mateos, 2019. "Effects of the Irrigation Modernization in Spain 2002–2015," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 33(5), pages 1835-1849, March.
    2. Ismail Abd-Elaty & Ismail Fathy & Alban Kuriqi & Am Pris John & Salvatore Straface & Elsayed M. Ramadan, 2023. "Impact of Modern Irrigation Methods on Groundwater Storage and Land Subsidence in High-water Stress Regions," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(4), pages 1827-1840, March.
    3. N, Kishor & Khanna, Manoj & Rajanna, G.A. & Singh, Man & Singh, Anupama & Singh, Shrawan & Banerjee, Tirthankar & Patanjali, Neeraj & Rajput, Jitendra & Kiruthiga, B., 2024. "Soil water distribution and water productivity in red cabbage crop using superabsorbent polymeric hydrogels under different drip irrigation regimes," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 295(C).
    4. Nesma A. Arafa & Zenhom El-Said Salem & Mahmoud A. Ghorab & Shokry A. Soliman & Abdelaziz L. Abdeldayem & Yasser M. Moustafa & Hosni H. Ghazala, 2022. "Evaluation of Groundwater Sensitivity to Pollution Using GIS-Based Modified DRASTIC-LU Model for Sustainable Development in the Nile Delta Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-18, November.
    5. Manal A. Alnaimy & Sahar A. Shahin & Ahmed A. Afifi & Ahmed A. Ewees & Natalia Junakova & Magdalena Balintova & Mohamed Abd Elaziz, 2022. "Spatio Prediction of Soil Capability Modeled with Modified RVFL Using Aptenodytes Forsteri Optimization and Digital Soil Assessment Technique," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-20, November.
    6. Mohamed Dawoud & Madiha Darwish & Mona El-Kady, 2005. "GIS-Based Groundwater Management Model for Western Nile Delta," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 19(5), pages 585-604, October.
    7. Molle, François & Rap, Edwin & Al-Agha, Doaa Ezzat & El Hassan, Waleed Abou & Freeg, Mohammed, 2019. "Irrigation improvement projects in the Nile Delta: Promises, challenges, surprises," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 216(C), pages 425-435.
    8. Molle, François & Tanouti, Oumaima, 2017. "Squaring the circle: Agricultural intensification vs. water conservation in Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 192(C), pages 170-179.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Nouri, Milad & Homaee, Mehdi & Pereira, Luis S. & Bybordi, Mohammad, 2023. "Water management dilemma in the agricultural sector of Iran: A review focusing on water governance," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    2. Radwa A. El Behairy & Ahmed A. El Baroudy & Mahmoud M. Ibrahim & Elsayed Said Mohamed & Dmitry E. Kucher & Mohamed S. Shokr, 2022. "Assessment of Soil Capability and Crop Suitability Using Integrated Multivariate and GIS Approaches toward Agricultural Sustainability," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Kelly, T.D. & Foster, T. & Schultz, David M., 2023. "Assessing the value of adapting irrigation strategies within the season," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    4. B. Yan & X. Su & Y. Chen, 2009. "Functional Structure and Data Management of Urban Water Supply Network Based on GIS," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(13), pages 2633-2653, October.
    5. Masseroni, Daniele & Gangi, Fabiola & Galli, Andrea & Ceriani, Rodolfo & De Gaetani, Carlo & Gandolfi, Claudio, 2022. "Behind the efficiency of border irrigation: Lesson learned in Northern Italy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    6. Benabderrazik, K. & Kopainsky, B. & Tazi, L. & Joerin, J. & Six, J., 2021. "Agricultural intensification can no longer ignore water conservation – A systemic modelling approach to the case of tomato producers in Morocco," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    7. Tocados-Franco, Enrique & Berbel, Julio & Expósito, Alfonso, 2023. "Water policy implications of perennial expansion in the Guadalquivir River Basin (southern Spain)," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    8. Seijger, Chris & Hellegers, Petra, 2023. "How do societies reform their agricultural water management towards new priorities for water, agriculture, and the environment?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    9. Berbel, Julio & Gutierrez-Marín, Carlos & Expósito, Alfonso, 2018. "Microeconomic analysis of irrigation efficiency improvement in water use and water consumption," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 423-429.
    10. Samanpreet Kaur & Rajan Aggarwal & S Jalota & Bharat Vashisht & Prit Lubana, 2014. "Estimation of Groundwater Balance Using Soil-Water-Vegetation Model and GIS," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 28(12), pages 4359-4371, September.
    11. Jaime Martínez-Valderrama & Jorge Olcina & Gonzalo Delacámara & Emilio Guirado & Fernando T. Maestre, 2023. "Complex Policy Mixes are Needed to Cope with Agricultural Water Demands Under Climate Change," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 37(6), pages 2805-2834, May.
    12. Khadim, Fahad Khan & Dokou, Zoi & Bagtzoglou, Amvrossios C. & Yang, Meijian & Lijalem, Girmachew Addisu & Anagnostou, Emmanouil, 2021. "A numerical framework to advance agricultural water management under hydrological stress conditions in a data scarce environment," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    13. Xiang, Zaichen & Bailey, Ryan T. & Nozari, Soheil & Husain, Zainab & Kisekka, Isaya & Sharda, Vaishali & Gowda, Prasanna, 2020. "DSSAT-MODFLOW: A new modeling framework for exploring groundwater conservation strategies in irrigated areas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    14. Julio Berbel & Alfonso Expósito & Carlos Gutiérrez-Martín & Luciano Mateos, 2019. "Effects of the Irrigation Modernization in Spain 2002–2015," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 33(5), pages 1835-1849, March.
    15. Ignacio Cazcarro & Miguel Martín-Retortillo & Guillermo Rodríguez-López & Ana Serrano & Javier Silvestre, 2024. "Retaining population with water? Irrigation policies and depopulation in Spain over the long term," Working Papers 0256, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    16. Xu Xu & Guanhua Huang & Zhongyi Qu & Luis Pereira, 2011. "Using MODFLOW and GIS to Assess Changes in Groundwater Dynamics in Response to Water Saving Measures in Irrigation Districts of the Upper Yellow River Basin," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(8), pages 2035-2059, June.
    17. Tawfik, Mohamed & Nassif, Marie-Helene & Mahjoub, O. & Mahmoud, A. E. D. & Kassab, G. & Alomair, M. & Hoogesteger, J., 2022. "Water reuse policy and institutional development in MENA: case studies from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia," IWMI Books, Reports H051738, International Water Management Institute.
    18. M. Tabesh & A. Yekta & R. Burrows, 2009. "An Integrated Model to Evaluate Losses in Water Distribution Systems," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(3), pages 477-492, February.
    19. Singh, Gurpreet & Gandhi, Vasant P. & Jain, Dinesh, 2024. "Micro-irrigation adoption and the Jevons’ Paradox: A study from four states of India," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    20. Mercedes Garcia, Angel V. & Sánchez-Romero, Francisco Javier & López-Jiménez, P. Amparo & Pérez-Sánchez, Modesto, 2022. "A new optimization approach for the use of hybrid renewable systems in the search of the zero net energy consumption in water irrigation systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C), pages 853-871.

    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:304:y:2024:i:c:s0378377424003998. 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.