Your search found 56 records
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049553)
(6.51 MB)
The shrinking groundwater resource is a major cause of ecosystem imbalance, which is further intensified by rapid changes in land use and land cover (LULC) and climate in the lower Chenab canal (LCC) of Pakistan. Present study aims to investigate groundwater dynamics using a novel approach by incorporating remote sensing data in combination with actual patterns of LULC, while statistical approach is employed for downscaling of climatic data under two emission scenarios including H3A2 and H3B2. A 3-D numerical groundwater flow model is used for evaluating current patterns of groundwater use and its dynamics. The results of water budget show a total horizontal groundwater inflow of 2844 Mm3 and an outflow of 2720.2 Mm3. The groundwater abstraction through pumping is about 17374.43 Mm3 as compared to groundwater recharge of 19933.20 Mm3, yields a surplus of 2682.87 Mm3, which raises groundwater levels in major parts of LCC. Change in rice cultivation has the highest impact on groundwater levels in upper regions of LCC, whereas higher negative changes are observed for lower parts under decreased fodder area in place of rice, cotton and sugarcane. For climate scenarios, a rise in groundwater level is observed for 2011 to 2025, whereas, its drop is expected for the periods 2026–2035 and 2036–2045 under H3A2 scenario. Due to no imminent threats to groundwater, there is an opportunity for groundwater development through water re-allocation. Groundwater status under H3B2 emission regime is rather complex during 2011–2025. Water management under such situation requires revisiting of cropping patterns and augmenting water supply through additional surface water resources. Considering the limitations of the current study, it is recommended to update model with river flow under changing climate, and to extend investigations for combined effects of LULC and climate change.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049715)
(3.08 MB) (3.08 MB)
Streamflow alteration and subsequent change in long-term average, seasonality, and extremes (e.g., floods and droughts) may affect water security, which is a major concern in many watersheds across the globe. Both climatic and anthropogenic activities may contribute to such changes. Therefore, this study assesses: (i) Streamflow and precipitation trends to identify streamflow alterations in the Extended East Rapti (EER) watershed in central-southern Nepal; (ii) relationship of the alterations to climatic and anthropogenic sources; and (iii) implications of streamflow changes to the socio-environmental system. The trends in streamflow were analyzed for pre-and post-1990 periods considering the abrupt shift in temperature trend in 1990. Results showed a general decreasing trends in discharge post-1990 in the EER watershed. Human activities have significantly contributed in altering streamflow in the EER. Human-induced streamflow alterations have affected the water availability, food security, river health, aquatic biodiversity, and groundwater abstraction in the EER watershed.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049703)
(26.80 MB) (26.8 MB)
Effective water management plays an important role in socioeconomic development in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD). The impacts of climate change and human activities (that is, domestic consumption and industrial and agricultural activities) vary in different subregions of the delta. In order to provide intersectoral data for determining the significantly impacted subregions of the VMD, the present study simulated interactions between local climatic patterns, human activities, and water resources using a system dynamics modeling (SDM) approach with each subregion as an agent of the developed model. The average rainfall and temperature of 121 subregions in the VMD were collected during 1982–2012, and the future changes of climate by provinces were based on the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) by the end of 21st century. The assessment was based on the levels of impact of various factors, including (1) water consumption, (2) differences between evapotranspiration and rainfall, and (3) spatial distribution of salinity intrusion over the delta scale. In the coastal areas, as well as the central and upstream areas, water resources were projected to be affected by environmental changes, whereas the former, characterized by the lack of surface freshwater, would be affected at a greater scale during the dry season. Besides, the sea level rise would lead to an increase in negative impacts in the eastern coastal areas, suggesting that water-saving techniques should be applied not only for agriculture, but also for industry and domestic water consumption during the dry season. In addition, the south subregions (that is, the western subregions of the Hau River except for An Giang) were likely to be flooded due to the simulated high rainfall and seasonal rises of sea level during the wet season. Therefore, the alternative forms of settlement and livelihood should be considered toward balance management with changing delta dynamics.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049782)
(1.85 MB) (1.85 MB)
Land use and climate changes are the key factor for altering runoff and soil erosion, and understanding its impacts play an important role in developing as sustainable program to preserve as watershed. However, there is lack of detailed studies on land use and climate change impact on hydrology and soil erosion for the sustainable water management in Vietnam. Therefore, the study aims to predict future runoff and sediment yield, and soil loss in Hoa Binh province, Lower Da river basin, Northwest Vietnam using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. Two projected land use changes (LU1: economic scenarios and LU2: conservation scenarios) were simulated based on the Vietnam government's restrictions for land use change. Future climate projections were derived from three Regional Climate Models (RCMs). In the study, A2 and B2 scenarios were selected for the study because scenario A2 assumes a very heterogeneous future world, with continuously increasing population and regionally oriented economic development, whereas, scenario B2 is an intermediate levels of economic development. Results indicated that SWAT model was a powerful tool for simulating the impacts of land use and climate change on hydrology and sediment yield. The results show that in future land use and climate change are to be responsible for a 0.35 to 1.07% increase in runoff and 0.86 to 6.96 % increase in sediment yield, respectively. Moreover, it can be seen that the areas of moderate and very high soil erosion intensity mainly occupied in Hoa Binh province ranges from 23 to 52 ton/ha.yr. In conclusion, the results obtained in this study can provide useful information for land use planning and management as well as soil and water conservation in the Hoa Binh province, Lower Da river basin, Northwest Vietnam
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049790)
(2.68 MB)
Few comprehensive studies have clearly addressed climate change impacts on agricultural land use change in developing countries. Also, land use studies have rarely reflected the perception of farmers concerning the drivers and consequences of land use change. This study aimed to evaluate agricultural land use changes using the case of Eij County, Iran, and determine the perceived drivers and consequences of land use conversion under climate change. To investigate the potential drivers of land use change, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 rural households. Also, to reveal the consequences of land use change, 185 farmers were surveyed. The results indicated that farming practices have transformed from almost entirely growing annual crops into the cultivating trees as the main crop with cereals as a subsidiary crop. Moreover, the changes in agricultural land use were found to be driven by the interplay between natural, institutional, economic, social, and psychological factors. Using grounded theory, the causal, contextual, and intervening drivers of agricultural land use conversion were identified, and their sequences and relationships were established. The findings also revealed that the rational adjustment in land use patterns poses great economic benefits and reduces the vulnerability of rural households, in the face of recurrent droughts.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049805)
(8.38 MB)
Peri-urban areas are characterized by multifunctional land-use patterns forming a mosaic of built-up and agricultural areas. They are critical for providing food and other agricultural products, livelihood opportunities and multiple ecosystem services, which makes them transformative where urban and rural spaces blend. We analyzed land use changes in a peri-urban micro-watershed in Southern India by using Google Earth data to understand the micro-level spatio-temporal dynamics. This study aims at understanding the peri-urban agriculture and landscape changes as related to the change in use of wastewater and groundwater for irrigation. The temporal dynamics of peri-urban system including the changes in built-up, paragrass, paddy rice and vegetable cultivation, groundwater and wastewater irrigated areas in the watershed were evaluated. The detected changes indicate that, as a consequence of urban pressures, agricultural landscapes are being converted into built-up areas and, at the same time, former barren land is converted to agricultural plots. The mapped land use data are used in landscape change modelling for predicting the peri-urban agricultural dynamics and the driving factors in the watershed. Combined with the mapping and modelling approaches for land use change analysis, our results form the basis for integrated resources management in the wastewater influenced peri-urban systems.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049806)
(2.94 MB) (2.94 MB)
Small reservoirs (SRs) are essential water storage infrastructures for rural populations of Sub-Saharan West Africa. In recent years, rapid population increase has resulted in unprecedented land use and land cover (LULC) changes. Our study documents the impacts of such changes on the water quality of SRs in Burkina Faso. Multi-temporal Landsat images were analyzed to determine LULC evolutions at various scales between 2002 and 2014. Population densities were calculated from downloaded 2014 population data. In situ water samples collected in 2004/5 and 2014 from selected SRs were analyzed for Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) loads, an integrative proxy for water quality. The expansion of crop and artificial areas at the expense of natural covers controlled LULC changes over the period. We found a very significant correlation between SPM loads and population densities calculated at a watershed scale. A general increase between the two sampling dates in the inorganic component of SPM loads, concomitant with a clear expansion of cropland areas at a local scale, was evidenced. Results of the study suggest that two complementary but independent indicators (i.e., LULC changes within 5-km buffer areas around SRs and demographic changes at watershed scale), relevantly reflected the nature and intensity of overall pressures exerted by humans on their environment, and locally on aquatic ecosystems. Recommendations related to the re-greening of peripheral areas around SRs in order to protect water bodies are suggested.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049948)
(0.97 MB) (996 KB)
Human uses of land and water are directly linked and must, therefore, be managed with each other in mind. This paper puts forward an approach for integrating sustainable water resource management into local land use decision-making in the Potomac basin. The approach includes developing a clear understanding of the current regulatory, programmatic, and financial approaches to land use management; identifying opportunities from innovation; and developing a flexible, stakeholder-based framework for moving forward. Four opportunities for innovation were identified in the Potomac basin utilizing this approach, including enhancing coordination and access to information, promoting incentives to achieve desired outcomes, encouraging and promoting innovation, and integrating programs to achieve multiple objectives. The successful integration of land and water decision-making requires a sustained, long-term commitment to improvement rather than a one-time fix mentality. Initial steps for implementation include identifying and engaging diverse partners, as well as establishing channels for information dissemination. The lessons learned from this work may prove valuable to decision-makers in other regions to holistically manage diverse land and water resources.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049998)
(0.67 MB) (684 KB)
Rainfall anomalies have long occupied center stage in policy discussions, and understanding their impacts on agricultural production has become more important as climate change intensifies. However, the global scale of rainfall-induced productivity shocks on changes in cropland is yet to be quantified. Here we identify how rainfall anomalies impact observed patterns of cropped areas at a global scale by leveraging locally determined unexpected variations in rainfall. Employing disaggregated panel data at the grid level, we find that repeated dry anomalies lead to an increase in cropland expansion in developing countries. No discernible effects are detected from repeated wet events. That these effects are confined to developing countries, which are often dominated by small-holder farmers, implies that they may be in response to reduced yields. The estimates suggest that overall, in developing countries, dry anomalies account for ~9% of the rate of cropland expansion over the past two decades. We perform several tests to check for consistency and robustness of this relationship. First, using forest cover as an alternative measure, we find comparable reductions in forest cover in the same regions where cropland expands due to repeated dry anomalies. Second, we test the relationship in regions where yields are buffered from rainfall anomalies by irrigation infrastructure and find that the impact on cropland expansion is mitigated, providing further support for our results. Since cropland expansion is a significant driver of deforestation, these results have important implications for forest loss and environmental services.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050137)
(5.17 MB) (5.17 MB)
Ecosystem services assessments have the potential to support negotiating the complex trade-offs between conservation goals and other economic, political and social agendas across administrative borders, spatial and temporal scales. While earlier studies showed the global importance of tropical areas in supplying ecosystem services, the specific contribution of mountain areas has not been investigated in details. The degradation of mountain ecosystems driven by climate, demographic and economic changes is however increasingly threatening essential ecosystem services supply to people living in- and outside mountains. In this study, we present an assessment of eight ecosystem services in mountains across the world using high resolution earth observation datasets for 2000 and 2010. We link the ecosystem services supply data with an expert survey dataset to assess ecosystem services demand. We show that most mountain ranges show large patches of decreasing ecosystem services in areas characterized by high population pressure. By comparing ecosystem services supply of and demand for ecosystem services, we highlight the growing scarcity of highly demanded ecosystem services, in particular water, food and forage in mountain areas of Global South. Population growth in mountain regions and surrounding lowlands accentuate this trend and call for urgent solutions to sustainably manage ecosystems in mountain areas.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050173)
(12.00 MB) (12.0 MB)
The rapid expansion of cities in West Africa has implications for urban cropland. This study aimed to assess the dynamics of cropland in West African cities over time and space, to identify key drivers, and to report the effects of changing cropland on farmers and farmers’ resilience strategies. Cities studied were Accra (Ghana), Bamako (Mali), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), and Bamenda (Cameroon). Methodology involved multi-temporal spatial analysis of satellite images and farmer surveys. Results showed that the share of urban land covered by cropland differed in these cities, with higher shares in Accra and Bamenda, which included rainfed cultivation. Over the past 15 years, Accra has lost large shares of its farming areas, both in the inner-urban areas as well as in the fringe, whereas loss in Bamenda has been less substantial. In Ouagadougou and Bamako, where only irrigated sites were captured, cropland has shifted to the fringes but increased overall. Key drivers influencing the direction of change were official support of urban farming (or lack thereof), population pressure, and the availability of public open spaces that are not suitable for construction. In cities with decreasing cropland, implications included diminishing individual farm sizes, intensification of remaining sites, cessation of farming in the city, and the shift to other sites, which—apart from the physical availability of land and related resources—depends on social relations and informal rules.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050230)
(2.79 MB)
Understanding the key drivers behind intensive use of groundwater resources and subsequent depletion in northern India is important for future food security of India. Although spatio-temporal changes of groundwater storage (GWS) and its depletion in northern India are mapped using the NASA's GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) records, the sub-regional diverse socio-political and environmental factors contributing to the variability in groundwater withdrawals and renewals are not well documented. Here, we provide new evidence on changes in GWS at different spatial scales using both observations and satellite-based measurements applying both parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses. The substantial loss of GWS has occurred since the beginning of the 21st century, and the decline in GWS is associated with some record-breaking dry and hot climate events. We present how certain state-based policy decisions, such as supplying free electricity for irrigation, prompted farmers to extract groundwater unsustainably and thus led to widespread GWS deletion, which has been also accelerated by frequent dryness and rising temperatures. In the hotspot of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi of northern India, the extracted groundwater during 1985–2013 is equivalent to a metre-high layer if spread uniformly across its geographical domain. We find that the groundwater storage loss in northern India has increased rapidly from 17 km3 to 189 km3 between the pre-2002 and 2002–2013 periods. This loss in northern India is, therefore, an excellent example of rapid surface greening and sub-surface drying—a result of an interplay of socio-political and environmental factors. As groundwater continues to be treated as a common natural resource and no clear definition exists to guide policymaking, this study also illustrates how the administrative district level approach can solve the widespread problem of depletion.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050274)
(2.36 MB) (2.36 MB)
Flash droughts cause rapid depletion in root-zone soil moisture and severely affect crop health and irrigation water demands. However, their occurrence and impacts in the current and future climate in India remain unknown. Here we use observations and model simulations from the large ensemble of Community Earth System Model to quantify the risk of flash droughts in India. Root-zone soil moisture simulations conducted using Variable Infiltration Capacity model show that flash droughts predominantly occur during the summer monsoon season (June–September) and driven by the intraseasonal variability of monsoon rainfall. Positive temperature anomalies during the monsoon break rapidly deplete soil moisture, which is further exacerbated by the land-atmospheric feedback. The worst flash drought in the observed (1951–2016) climate occurred in 1979, affecting more than 40% of the country. The frequency of concurrent hot and dry extremes is projected to rise by about five-fold, causing approximately seven-fold increase in flash droughts like 1979 by the end of the 21st century. The increased risk of flash droughts in the future is attributed to intraseasonal variability of the summer monsoon rainfall and anthropogenic warming, which can have deleterious implications for crop production, irrigation demands, and groundwater abstraction in India.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050279)
(12.70 MB) (12.7 MB)
Most arid and semi-arid regions of the Southern-Indian peninsula experience frequent drought. To combat this, historically many water recharge structures, such as tank cascade systems, have been constructed. However, in recent years, performance of these tanks, especially for irrigation and groundwater recharge, is limited due to impacts of external factors that are not scientifically understood. This study, for the first time, aimed to explore spatio-temporal variation of water mass balance components and their impact on the Vandiyur tank cascade system (VTCS) in the city of Madurai, India. Study estimated water mass balance components for rural, peri-urban, and urban catchments across VTCS. Catchment-specific algorithms and water budget equation were used to estimate the volume of hydrological parameters. Additionally, land use/land cover maps were developed to understand the significance of using a water balance approach in understanding the behavior of hydrological components governing the water budget of a catchment. Results indicated a rapid increase in the urban area, up to 300%, in peri-urban and urban regions. Urbanization was considered the primary cause of high catchment runoff (40–60% of rainfall). Due to this, seasonal water availability within each tank across catchment was observed inconsistent (0–15%), wherein summer recorded approximately the least tank storage (0–8%). In general, study provided an approach for a practical, water-focused application demonstrating how the principles of mass balance can help to foster robust water accounting, monitoring, and management. It further emphasized the use of a water balance approach in identifying vulnerable catchments for appropriate tank-rehabilitation-based interventions.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050296)
(3.89 MB)
This study aims to resolve a potential water conflict between the upper catchment communities of the Okavango River Basin and the downward communities in the Okavango Delta. A model to payment for ecosystem services is developed at the basin level, recognizing spatial diversity and water flows. It addresses four objectives: (1) To assess relationships between water consumption and land use from a spatial perspective. (2) To estimate water availability under current land use as a reference without any water policy intervention. (3) To optimize water flow generation as intended for getting ecosystem services. This is based on the mechanism of payments for ecosystem services, specifically in terms of land use change as stewardship. (4) To compensate farmers for economic losses due to upstream land use changes. Our study suggests that an integrated basin management should consider payments for ecosystem services to incentivize forest conservation. The annual payments of US$28.7 million could encourage farmers upstream to change their land uses from deforestation to forest conservation. With compensation, approximately 8.7 million hectares of Miombo forests would be maintained in the basin, which would secure 3656 million m3 of water during the rainy season and subsequently benefit the Delta in the dry season.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050383)
(5.25 MB)
Land use change has greatly influenced groundwater quality worldwide. Identifying the effects of different intensive land uses on the groundwater quality is the first step in taking proper action to solve the problem. In this study, we compared the effects of different intensive land uses (region A, natural vegetation; region B, cereal fields; region C, kiwifruit orchards) in the Yujiahe catchment between 2015 and 2017 in Shaanxi, China, on the major ions and stable isotopes of nitrate (d15N–NO3– and d18O–NO3–). The NO3- groundwater concentrations increased from region A to region B and region C; NO3- concentrations in shallow groundwater were higher than those of deep groundwater in region C (55.3 vs. 28.9 mg/L, respectively). The NO3- concentrations in region A and region B did not exceed the WHO standard of 50 mg/L. However, 56.3% and 22.2% of the shallow and deep groundwater samples have NO3- concentrations exceeding the standard in region C, respectively. The average electrical conductivity (EC) values of springs in region A and shallow groundwater in regions B and C were 438, 525, and 753 µs/cm, respectively. Concentrations of Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, Cl-, and HCO3- ions and nitrogen isotope values increased from region A to region C, indicating that intensive land use change has modified groundwater hydrochemical composition, and deteriorated groundwater quality. This study has highlighted the significant effect of intensive land use of orchards at the small catchment scale on the groundwater quality.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050469)
(11.20 MB)
Accurate spatial and temporal measurement of water budget play a crucial role in achieving the sustainable planning and management of water resources. This paper presents a comprehensive integrated approach to simulate hydrological responses under dynamics of land use land cover (LULC) and climate change scenarios over Upper Narmada Basin, India. In order to select the representative climate models, scoring method was applied at regional scale. Best five performing climate models (MIROC5, CNRM-CM5, MPI-ESM-LR, GFDL-ESM2G and IPSL-CM5A-MR) were coupled with semi-distributed hydrological model to simulate the hydrological responses. Considering the heterogeneity of the large basin, multi-site calibration and parameters sensitivity analysis were performed using Sequential Uncertainty Fitting (SUFI-2) algorithm. To compute the hydrological sensitivity against land use change, calibrated model was coupled with historical and futuristic land use scenarios (1990, 2000, 2010 and 2030). The results indicate intensified precipitation towards the late 21st century, whereas annual mean temperature could be raised by 1.79 °C and 3.57 °C under mid and high emission scenarios respectively, at the end of century. Annual and monsoon flow in the basin likely to increase during the 2050 s (2041–2070) and 2080 s (2071–2100). Moreover, the relation between climate variables and water budget components were identified to analyse the hydrological sensitivity of the basin under changing climate.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050559)
(4.70 MB) (4.70 MB)
Ecological restoration will be promoted globally as a strategic solution supporting the relevant sustainable development goals including land degradation neutrality. However, this restorative approach is facing challenges from climate change and anthropogenic land-use change. One of these acute challenges is to balance ecological restoration and water ecosystem services particularly in dryland areas that are the most vulnerable to land degradation and climate change. Therefore, it is critical to understand the spatiotemporal variability of water ecosystem services in a changing environment on a regional scale. To gain this understanding, this paper formulates a composite indicator approach by integrating gross primary productivity (GPP) and waterbodies derived from remote sensing with key soil, climate, and topographic variables. The water ecosystem service index (WESI) was quantified in 10 watersheds of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) region during 2000–2018 and found to be correlated positively with the surface runoff of these watersheds at high confidence levels. Then WESI is used in the whole CLP. The results of WESI indicate that about 90% of the CLP is low in water ecosystem services and about 45% of the CLP experienced significant increases for water ecosystem services under the impacts of large scale vegetation restoration, climate change, and land-use change. The WESI approach provides an efficient alternative to the complex modelling approaches that need much more ground based monitoring data. The WESI is useful for mapping the spatial pattern and temporal trends of regional water ecosystem services that are critical for ecological restoration and land-use planning in a changing environment.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050637)
(9.23 MB) (9.23 MB)
Despite a growing recognition of the importance of designing, rehabilitating, and maintaining green infrastructure to provide essential ecosystem services and adapt to climate change, many decision makers in sub-Saharan Africa continue to favour engineered solutions and short term economic growth at the expense of natural landscapes and longer term sustainability agendas. Existing green infrastructure is typically maintained in more affluent suburbs, inadvertently perpetuating historic inequalities. This is in part because there remains a lack of fine-grained, comparative evidence on the barriers and enablers to mainstreaming green infrastructure in peri-urban areas. Here, we developed an analytical framework based on a review of 155 studies, screened to include 29 studies in 24 countries. Results suggest eight overarching categories of interconnected barriers to green infrastructure in peri-urban areas. Using a combinatorial mixed method approach, we then surveyed households in nine settlements in drought-prone Windhoek (n=330) and seven settlements in flood-prone Dar es Salaam (n=502) and conducted key informant interviews (n=118). Peri-urban residents in Windhoek and Dar es Salaam indicated 18 forms of green infrastructure and 47 derived ecosystem services. The most frequently reported barriers were financial (40.8%), legal and institutional barriers (35.8%) followed by land use change and spatial trade-offs (33%) and finally ecosystem disservices (30.6%). The most significant barriers in Dar es Salaam were legal and institutional (22.7%) and in Windhoek were land use change and spatial trade-offs (24.4%). At the household level, the principal barrier was financial; at community and municipal levels the main barriers were related to design, performance, and maintenance; while at the national level, the main barriers were legal and institutional. Embracing institutional cultures of adaptive policymaking, equitable partnerships, co-designing futures, integrated landscape management and experimental innovation have potential to scale long term maintenance for urban green infrastructure and foster agency, creativity and more transformative relationships and outcomes.
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050679)
(8.40 MB)
Egypt suffers from severe water scarcity, which affects the sustainability of agricultural production. Therefore, the sustainable use of available water resources under water scarcity requires the adoption of water allocation policies favoring conservative and efficient use. Water management with free satellite data and geographical information system modeling capabilities can be a valuable approach for optimizing the benefits from the available water resources to meet the requirements for agricultural lands. This study aims to (i) detect and evaluate changes in agricultural areas because of urbanization and reclamation activities using Landsat data in 1999, 2009, and 2019 and (ii) update the irrigation water demand by monitoring the seasonal changes of agricultural area based on normalized difference vegetation index. Water management of Fayoum Governorate in Egypt is characterized by a non-uniform distribution flow over its canals; thus, two pilot areas are selected. The first site is the Sinnuris canal, the served areas of which represents the urbanization problem. The other site is the Gharaq canal, the served areas of which represents the urbanization and agricultural expansion situations. The results reveal that changes in agricultural areas considerably affect the uniformity of water management. Urbanization activities reduce the agricultural area by ~5.0% and 5.7% in Sinnuris and Gharaq served areas, respectively. However, the newly cultivated lands in Gharaq preserve an increase of 5.8% in the total agricultural area. The considerably changed water allocation strategies in these districts since Sinnuris has an excess of 1.5 m3/s of water supply, while the Gharaq area faced an irrigation shortage of 0.26 m3/s in 2019. As per the proposed approach, the decision-makers can readjust the water allocation plan to satisfy the water requirements for other demand areas.
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