Your search found 21 records
1 Vasiliev, O. F. 1998. Upstream/downstream conflicts about water resources and land use in river basins: The need for an integrated management approach. In Stockholm International Water Institute, Proceedings, Stockholm Water Symposium, Stockholm, August 10-13, 1998: Water - The key to socio-economic development and quality of life. Stockholm, Sweden: SIWI. pp.149-153.
River basins ; Land use ; Hydrology ; Water quality ; Watershed management / Russian Federation / Siberia / Aral Sea / Syr Darya River basin / Amu Darya River Basin / Tom River Basin / Yenisei River
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 STO Record No: H023914)
2 Rakhmatullaev, S.; Huneau, F.; Kazbekov, Jusipbek; Le Coustumer, P.; Jumanov, J.; El Oifi, B.; Motelica-Heino, M.; Hrkal, Z. 2010. Groundwater resources use and management in the Amu Darya River Basin, (Central Asia) Environmental Earth Sciences, 59:1183-1193. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-009-0107-4]
Groundwater management ; Aquifers ; River basins ; International waters ; Water quality ; Irrigated farming ; Livestock / Central Asia / Afghanistan / Tajikistan / Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan / Amu Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042490)
(0.23 MB)
This paper analyses groundwater resources use and management in the socio-economic context of the Amu Darya River Basin which covers a part of the following landlocked Central Asian countries: Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. These agrarian nations for sustaining their vital agricultural productions started to use groundwater during the recent drought years (1998–2001) because of its relatively good quality and quantity and as an alternative to highly mineralized surface waters. Present extent of groundwater resources use is discussed with consideration to their reserves, quality, and institutional management and transboundary aspects within the basin. After the collapse of the centralized water resources management system and infrastructure of the former Soviet Union, new underdeveloped systems are being practiced over the whole Amu Darya River Basin. The critical situation of groundwater management in Afghanistan is also discussed. This work attempts to document the management and use of groundwater in the Amu Darya Basin and present time management realities, with fragmented and weak national and regional regulation on groundwater. Special attention is given to groundwater resources in irrigated agriculture, which increased use in all countries of the basin is due to quick access to underground resources and relatively good quality and quantity.
3 Falkenmark, M.; de Fraiture, Charlotte; Vick, M. J. 2009. Global change in four semi-arid transnational river basins: analysis of institutional water sharing preparedness. Natural Resources Forum, 33:310-319.
River basin management ; Watercourses ; International waters ; Water security ; Agreements ; Climate change ; Water scarcity ; Water shortage ; Water requirements ; Water use / Central Asia / Turkey / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin / Nile River Basin / Euphrates River Basin / Tigris River Basin / Niger River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042661)
(0.21 MB)
Climate change has exacerbated concerns about water security. The authors stress the need for countries in basins where populations are growing to anticipate the water shortage implications for food production. The paper analyses the future status of the interdependence among riparian states in four semi-arid transnational basins under the climate change SRES A2 scenario and projected population growth with a focus on the potential for rainfed agriculture on current croplands and the requirements for irrigation water. Increasing water interdependence among basin states requires institutional preparedness and water sharing arrangements.We conclude that the inclusion of long-term trends in the design of water sharing agreements will improve their robustness to cope with change and mitigate the potential risk of conflict.
4 Wegerich, K. 2010. Handing over the sunset: external factors influencing the establishment of water user associations in Uzbekistan: evidence from Khorezm province. Gottingen, Germany: Cuvillier Verlag Gottingen. 169p.
River basin management ; Water user associations ; Land reform ; Privatization ; Policy ; Irrigation systems ; Water distribution ; Water allocation ; Political aspects ; Stakeholders ; Case studies / Central Asia / Uzbekistan / Khorezm Province / Yangibazar District / Aral Sea / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 631.7.3 G782 WEG e-copy SF Record No: H043000)
(1.93 MB)
Recently, large-scale surface-water or canal irrigation systems have been termed ‘a sunset industry’ (Rijsberman 2003). Handing over this sunset industry by means of irrigation management transfer (IMT) policies and the creation of water user associations (WUAs) has three main objectives: to increase efficiency, equity, and empowerment. The Uzbek government, together with the international organizations, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), is currently promoting IMT and the creation of WUAs nationwide. The onset of the policy seemed to be a rational development since the former state and collective farms, which were also responsible for water management on their territories, were disintegrating, and new private farms were emerging rapidly. This study seeks to assess the potential of IMT policies by examining the broader physical, organizational, socio-economic, and political factors that might facilitate or hinder the main objectives of IMT and the creation of WUAs. These factors are addressed and analyzed separately through eight case study chapters that address questions on basin water management, the organizational capacities, and the socio-political dependencies of the district water management departments, the potential for multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs), the politics of social network structures, and the process of land reforms. The study concludes that none of the external factors is conducive to the introduction of IMT policies and for creating WUAs. The implication is that IMT policies will not increase efficiency, equity, and empowerment, but could even worsen the water management situation. Furthermore, these policies will not increase the empowerment of either the WUAs or their members. Hence, under the current conditions, handing over the ‘sunset industry’ will not lead to a new sunrise for irrigation in Uzbekistan.
5 Wegerich, K. 2010. Handing over the sunset: external factors influencing the establishment of water user associations in Uzbekistan: evidence from Khorezm Province. Gottingen, Germany: Cuvillier Verlag Gottingen. 169p.
River basin management ; Water user associations ; Land reform ; Privatization ; Policy ; Irrigation systems ; Water distribution ; Water allocation ; Political aspects ; Stakeholders / Central Asia / Uzbekistan / Khorezm Province / Yangibazar District / Aral Sea / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 631.7.3 G782 WEG c2 e-copy SF Record No: H043001)
Recently, large-scale surface-water or canal irrigation systems have been termed ‘a sunset industry’ (Rijsberman 2003). Handing over this sunset industry by means of irrigation management transfer (IMT) policies and the creation of water user associations (WUAs) has three main objectives: to increase efficiency, equity, and empowerment. The Uzbek government, together with the international organizations, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), is currently promoting IMT and the creation of WUAs nationwide. The onset of the policy seemed to be a rational development since the former state and collective farms, which were also responsible for water management on their territories, were disintegrating, and new private farms were emerging rapidly. This study seeks to assess the potential of IMT policies by examining the broader physical, organizational, socio-economic, and political factors that might facilitate or hinder the main objectives of IMT and the creation of WUAs. These factors are addressed and analyzed separately through eight case study chapters that address questions on basin water management, the organizational capacities, and the socio-political dependencies of the district water management departments, the potential for multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs), the politics of social network structures, and the process of land reforms. The study concludes that none of the external factors is conducive to the introduction of IMT policies and for creating WUAs. The implication is that IMT policies will not increase efficiency, equity, and empowerment, but could even worsen the water management situation. Furthermore, these policies will not increase the empowerment of either the WUAs or their members. Hence, under the current conditions, handing over the ‘sunset industry’ will not lead to a new sunrise for irrigation in Uzbekistan.
6 Wichelns, Dennis. 2010. Embracing uncertainty to improve water management, with examples from seven river basins. Review essay on "Mysiak, J.; Henrikson, H. J.; Sullivan, C.; Bromley, J.; Pahl-Wostl, C. 2009. The adaptive water resource management handbook. London, UK: Earthscan" International Journal of Water Resources Development, 26(3):495-508. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2010.489304]
Water resource management ; River basins / Europe / Central Asia / Africa / Elbe River Basin / Guadiana River Basin / Amu Darya River Basin / Nile River Basin / Rhine River Basin / Tisza River Basin / Orange River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043029)
(0.18 MB)
7 Treffner, J.; Mioc, V.; Wegerich, Kai. 2010. International river basins. In Wegerich, Kai; Warner, J. (Eds.). The politics of water: a survey. London, UK: Routledge. pp.321-369.
River basins ; International waters ; River basin development ; River basin management ; International cooperation / Central Asia / USA / Mexico / Turkey / Syria / Iraq / India / South America / South East Asia / Australia / South Africa / Europe / Aral Sea / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin / Rio Grande River Basins / Colorado River Basin / Tijuana River Basin / Danube River Basin / Euphrates River Basin / Tigris River Basin / Ganges River Basin / Brahmaputra River Basin / Meghna River Basin / Indus River Basin / Jordan River Basin / La Plata River Basin / Mekong River Basin / Murray-Darling / Nile River Basin / Okavango River Basin / Rhine River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 WEG, e-copy SF Record No: H043030)
8 Wegerich, Kai. 2010. Have your cake and eat it too: agenda-setting in Central Asian transboundary rivers. In Arsel, M.; Spoor, M. Water, environmental security and sustainable rural development: conflict and cooperation in Central Eurasia. London, UK: Routledge. pp.175-190.
River basin management ; International waters ; International cooperation ; Water allocation ; Organizations / Central Asia / Kazakhstan / Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan / Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin / Zerafshan River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043140)
(3.13 MB)
9 Wegerich, K. 2009. The new great game: water allocation in post-Soviet Central Asia. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, 10(2):117-123.
River basin management ; Water allocation ; History ; Water use ; International relations / Central Asia / Tajikistan / Kyrgyzstan / Uzbekistan / Turkmenistan / Afghanistan / Vakhsh River / Amu Darya River Basin / Rogun Dam
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043143)
(0.09 MB)
10 Wegerich, Kai. 2011. Water resources in Central Asia: regional stability or patchy make-up? Central Asian Survey, 30(2):275-290. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2011.565231]
River basins ; International waters ; Water use ; Water allocation ; Irrigation management / Central Asia / Syr Darya River Basin / Amu Darya River Basin / Talas River Basin / Zerafshan River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H043963)
(0.32 MB)
This article explores the cooperation after independence on four Central Asian transboundary rivers. The paper shows that, even though the Central Asian states agreed in 1992 to continue with the basic water-sharing principles, new agreements had to be made. New agreements were only made in basins with large-scale water-control infrastructure, which have transboundary significance or are transboundary themselves. The inequitable water allocation between the riparian states has continued and has not triggered new agreements.
11 Kijne, J. W. 2005. Aral Sea Basin initiative: towards a strategy for sustainable irrigated agriculture with feasible investment in drainage. Synthesis report. Rome, Italy: FAO. 72p.
Irrigated farming ; Lakes ; Investment ; Drainage ; Water resources ; Hydrology ; Soil salinity ; Monitoring ; River basins / Kazakhstan / Uzbekistan / Aral Sea Basin / Syr Darya River Basin / Amu Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 631.7.2 G000 KIJ Record No: H044220)
(0.65 MB) (662.29KB)
12 Wegerich, Kai. 2012. Politics of water in Post-Soviet Central Asia. In Europa Publications. (Ed). Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia 2013. 13th Ed. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. pp.44-49.
River basins ; International waters ; Political aspects ; USSR ; Flow discharge ; Irrigated sites ; Reservoirs ; Upstream ; Downstream / Central Asia / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045622)
(0.51 MB)
13 Akhtar, F.; Tischbein, B.; Awan, Usman Khalid. 2013. Optimizing deficit irrigation scheduling under shallow groundwater conditions in lower reaches of Amu Darya River Basin. Water Resources Management, 27(8):3165-3178. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-013-0341-0]
Irrigation scheduling ; Water scarcity ; River basins ; Irrigated farming ; Irrigation water ; Groundwater table ; Water supply ; Crop yield ; Cotton ; Models ; Evapotranspiration / Central Asia / Uzbekistan / Khorezm Region / Amu Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045846)
(0.23 MB)
Water demand for irrigated agriculture is increasing against limited availability of fresh water resources in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River e.g., Khorezm region of Uzbekistan. Future scenarios predict that Khorezm region will receive fewer water supplies due to climate change, transboundary conflicts and hence farmers have to achieve their yield targets with less water. We conducted a study and used AquaCrop model to develop the optimum and deficit irrigation schedule under shallow groundwater conditions (1.0–1.2 m) in the study region. Cotton being a strategic crop in the region was used for simulations. Capillary rise substantially contributes to crop-water requirements and is the key characteristic of the regional soils. However, AquaCrop does not simulate capillary rise contribution, thereby HYDRUS-1D model was used in this study for the quantification of capillary rise contribution. Alongside optimal irrigation schedule for cotton, deficit strategies were also derived in two ways: proportional reduction from each irrigation event (scenario-A) throughout the growth period as well as reduced water supply at specific crop growth stages (scenario-B). For scenario-A, 20, 40, 50 and 60 % of optimal water was deducted from each irrigation quota whereas for scenario-B irrigation events were knocked out at different crop growth stages (stage 1(emergence), stage 2 (vegetative), stage 3 (flowering) and stage 4 (yield formation and ripening)). For scenario-A, 0, 14, 30 and 48 % of yield reduction was observed respectively. During stress at the late crop development stage, a reduced water supply of 12 % resulted in a yield increase of 8 %. Conversely, during stress at the earlier crop development stage, yield loss was 17–18 %. During water stress at the late ripening stage, no yield loss was observed. Results of this study provide guidelines for policy makers to adopt irrigation schedule depending upon availability of irrigation water.
14 Wegerich, Kai. 2013. Politics of water in post-Soviet Central Asia. In Europa Publications. (Ed). Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia 2014. 14th Ed. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. pp.30-35.
River basins ; International waters ; Political aspects ; USSR ; Flow discharge ; Reservoirs ; Irrigated land ; Electricity / Central Asia / Kyrgyzstan / Tajikistan / Kazakhstan / Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan / Syr Darya River Basin / Amu Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046309)
(0.07 MB)
15 Jalilov, S.-M.; Keskinen, M.; Varis, O.; Amer, S.; Ward, F. A. 2016. Managing the water-energy-food nexus: gains and losses from new water development in Amu Darya River Basin. Journal of Hydrology, 539:648-661. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.05.071]
Water resources development ; Energy generation ; Water power ; Food security ; Water use ; Hydrology ; Economic value ; Models ; Reservoir operation ; Dams ; River basins ; Crop production ; Farmland / Central Asia / Tajikistan / Afghanistan / Uzbekistan / Turkmenistan / Amu Darya River Basin / Rogun Dam / Vakhsh River / Nurek Reservoir
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047604)
(1.56 MB)
According to the UN, the population of Central Asia will increase from its current approximately 65 million people to a well over 90 million by the end of this century. Taking this increasing population into consideration, it is impossible to project development strategies without considering three key factors in meeting the demands of a growing population: water, food and energy. Societies will have to choose, for instance, between using land and fertilizer for food production or for bio-based or renewable energy production, and between using fresh water for energy production or for irrigating crops. Thus water, food and energy are inextricably linked and must be considered together as a system. Recently, tensions among the Central Asian countries over the use of water for energy and energy production have increased with the building of Rogun Dam on the Vakhsh River, a tributary of the Amu Darya River. The dam will provide upstream Tajikistan with hydropower, while downstream countries fear it could negatively impact their irrigated agriculture. Despite recent peer reviewed literature on water resources management in Amu Darya Basin, none to date have addressed the interconnection and mutual impacts within water–energy–food systems in face of constructing the Rogun Dam. We examine two potential operation modes of the dam: Energy Mode (ensuring Tajikistan’s hydropower needs) and Irrigation Mode (ensuring water for agriculture downstream). Results show that the Energy Mode could ensure more than double Tajikistan’s energy capacity, but would reduce water availability during the growing season, resulting in an average 37% decline in agricultural benefits in downstream countries. The Irrigation Mode could bring a surplus in agricultural benefits to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in addition an increasing energy benefits in Tajikistan by two fold. However, energy production in the Irrigation Mode would be non-optimally distributed over the seasons resulting in the most of hydropower being produced during the growing season. Neither operation mode provides optimal benefits for all the countries, emphasizing how difficult it is to actually reach a win–win scenario across the water–energy–food security nexus in transboundary river basins.
16 Sun, J.; Li, Y. P.; Suo, C.; Liu, Y. R. 2019. Impacts of irrigation efficiency on agricultural water-land nexus system management under multiple uncertainties - a case study in Amu Darya River basin, Central Asia. Agricultural Water Management, 216:76-88. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.01.025]
Irrigation efficiency ; Agriculture ; Water resources ; Water availability ; Land resources ; Nexus ; Irrigation schemes ; Crops ; Models ; Uncertainty ; Constraints ; Case studies / Central Asia / Amu Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049200)
(4.46 MB)
Water and land are the two most critical resources for food production and they are intricately linked. Irrigation expansion, population growth, and climate change are threatening the sustainability of water-land nexus system (WLNS). In this study, a possibilistic-flexible chance-constrained programming (PFCP) method that is capable of addressing multiple uncertainties expressed as possibilistic distributions, flexible variables, and probabilistic distributions existed in WLNS is developed. PFCP can help gain in-depth analysis of the tradeoffs between system benefit and reliability of satisfying constraints. Then, the proposed PFCP method is applied to the lower reaches of Amu Darya River basin for assessing the impact of irrigation efficiency on the WLNS management, where 1080 scenarios are analyzed in association with different irrigation schemes, violation risk levels, and satisfactory degrees. A number of water and land resources allocation alternatives for different irrigation districts and crops are generated. Results indicate that the advanced irrigation modes (e.g., sprinkle and drip) can improve irrigation efficiency and raise unit water benefit from 0.15 US$/m3 to 0.24 US$/m3 . Irrigation mode with efficiency of about 0.61 is an effective option in adaption to changed water availabilities, which is beneficial for pursuing balance between water and land relationships. These findings can support decision makers implementing comprehensive agricultural management strategies (e.g., the advancement of irrigation modes as well as the optimization of water and land allocation patterns) in responding to variations in water availability, electricity consumption, and market price.
17 Gafurov, Zafar; Eltazarov, S.; Akramov, Bekzod; Yuldashev, Tulkun; Djumaboev, Kakhramon; Anarbekov, Oyture. 2018. Modifying Hargreaves-Samani equation for estimating reference evapotranspiration in dryland regions of Amudarya River Basin. Agricultural Sciences, 9(10):1354-1368. [doi: https://doi.org/10.4236/as.2018.910094]
River basins ; Evapotranspiration ; Estimation ; Forecasting ; Arid zones ; Temperature ; Irrigated land ; Climatic factors ; Statistical methods / Central Asia / Uzbekistan / Amu Darya River Basin / Karshi Steppe
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H049270)
(2.21 MB) (2.21 MB)
Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is a key factor in determining the amount of water needed for crops, which is crucial to correct irrigation planning. FAO Penman-Monteith (EToPM) is among the most popular method to estimate ETo. Apparently sometimes it is difficult to compute ETo using Penman-Monteith due to challenges on data availability. FAO Penman-Monteith method requires many parameters (solar radiation, air temperature, wind speed and humidity), while Hargreaves-Samani method calculates ETo based on air temperature. Because Central Asia is a data limited region with weather stations unable to provide all required parameters for the PM method, this study aimed to estimate ETo using the Hargreaves and Samani (HS) method in Karshi Steppe, in Kashkadarya province, in southern Uzbekistan, based on data from 2011 to 2017. Reference evapotranspiration calculated by non-modified HS method is underestimated during the summer months. The reason for this underestimation might be higher air temperature and wind speed during these months. Therefore, the HS method in its original form cannot be used in our study area to estimate ETo. Modification of the EToHS, through application of a bias correction factor, had better performance and allowed improving the accuracy of the ETo calculation for this region. The calculated ETo values can inform decision making and management practices regarding water allocation, irrigation scheduling and crop selection in dry land regions of Amudarya river basin and the greater Central Asia area.
18 Shi, H.; Luo, G.; Zheng, H.; Chen, C.; Hellwich, O.; Bai, J.; Liu, T.; Liu, S.; Xue, J.; Cai, P.; He, H.; Ochege, F. U.; Van de Voorde, T.; de Maeyer, P. 2021. A novel causal structure-based framework for comparing a basin-wide water-energy-food-ecology nexus applied to the data-limited Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 25(2):901-925. [doi: https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-901-2021]
Water resources ; Energy ; Food security ; Ecology ; Nexus ; River basins ; Downstream ; Upstream ; Reservoirs ; International waters ; Water use ; Conflicts ; Agricultural production ; Models / Central Asia / Aral Sea Basin / Amu Darya River Basin / Syr Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H050537)
https://hess.copernicus.org/articles/25/901/2021/hess-25-901-2021.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050537.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H050537.pdf
(17.90 MB) (17.9 MB)
The previous comparative studies on watersheds were mostly based on the comparison of dispersive characteristics, which lacked systemicity and causality. We proposed a causal structure-based framework for basin comparison based on the Bayesian network (BN) and focus on the basin-scale water–energy–food–ecology (WEFE) nexus. We applied it to the Syr Darya River basin (SDB) and the Amu Darya River basin (ADB), of which poor water management caused the Aral Sea disaster. The causality of the nexus was effectively compared and universality of this framework was discussed. In terms of changes in the nexus, the sensitive factor for the water supplied to the Aral Sea changed from the agricultural development during the Soviet Union period to the disputes in the WEFE nexus after the disintegration. The water–energy contradiction of the SDB is more severe than that of the ADB, partly due to the higher upstream reservoir interception capacity. It further made management of the winter surplus water downstream of the SDB more controversial. Due to this, the water–food–ecology conflict between downstream countries may escalate and turn into a long-term chronic problem. Reducing water inflow to depressions and improving the planting structure prove beneficial to the Aral Sea ecology, and this effect of the SDB is more significant. The construction of reservoirs on the Panj River of the upstream ADB should be cautious to avoid an intense water–energy conflict such as the SDB's. It is also necessary to promote the water-saving drip irrigation and to strengthen the cooperation.
19 Hafeez, Mohsin; Awan, Usman Khalid. 2022. Viewpoint: irrigation water management in a space age. Irrigation and Drainage, 71(S1):39-50. (Special issue: Achieving Climate Resilience through Improved Irrigation Water Management from Farm to Basin Scale) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2705]
Irrigation water ; Water management ; Water resources ; Climate change ; Irrigation efficiency ; Groundwater ; River basins ; Irrigation schemes ; Evapotranspiration ; Precipitation ; Soil moisture ; Remote sensing / Australia / Pakistan / Uzbekistan / Amu Darya River Basin / Indus Basin / Murray Darling Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051022)
(3.16 MB) (3.16 MB)
Climate change and rapid population growth are already putting increasing demand and pressure on the world's freshwater resources. Irrigated agriculture is responsible for about 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, consuming the most amount of water. However, the diverted water in irrigation systems is often not utilized efficiently because of poor water management at different spatial scales, resulting in a system efficiency of only 30–50% in most Asian countries. Typically, improving water management in irrigated areas requires accurate information on various water balance parameters while also considering a changing climate across different spatial scales. There have been technical limitations in getting accurate and reliable information on various key water balance parameters with the conventional approaches used in the recent past. In the twenty-first century, considerable advances have been made in using satellite imagery, including processing and geospatial algorithms, to estimate hydro-meteorological fluxes and relevant components at different spatial scales. This paper provides a perspective on the application of innovative and non-conventional approaches to water resources management in the Murray Darling basin, Australia, the Indus basin, Pakistan and the Amu Darya basin, Uzbekistan. Examples of the state-of-the-art tools described in this paper include: (i) using geoinformatics to monitor the diagnostic and operational performance of large irrigation schemes; (ii) quantifying groundwater and surface water to better manage these two resources using geoinformatics; (iii) forecasting irrigation supply and demand at high spatial and temporal scales using hydrological modelling based on the nodal network; (iv) forecasting crop yield production by satellite remote sensing. The approaches in this study clearly demonstrate that new monitoring and planning tools and methods are highly effective in improving irrigation water management in the ‘space age’ (for the purposes of this paper, space age refers to a period in which earth observation satellites are available to accurately monitor agricultural practices and water balance parameters such as soil moisture and evapotranspiration). The application of these innovative tools can assist in strategizing, diagnosing, monitoring and improving the performance of irrigation systems to grow more crop per drop of water while minimizing environmental impacts and dealing with climate change impacts.
20 Hao, L.; Wang, P.; Gojenko, B.; Yu, J.; Lv, A.; Li, F.; Kenjabaev, Shavkat; Kulmatov, R.; Khikmatov, F. 2023. Five decades of freshwater salinization in the Amu Darya River Basin. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 47:101375. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2023.101375]
Freshwater ; Salinization ; River basins ; Salinity ; Climate change ; Agriculture ; Discharges ; Hydrology ; Spatial variations ; Seasonal variation ; Models / Central Asia / Amu Darya River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051880)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581823000629/pdfft?md5=4bff9fdaedc0eeba19a4acb52ba0321f&pid=1-s2.0-S2214581823000629-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051880.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H051880.pdf
(8.41 MB) (8.41 MB)
Study region: The Amu Darya River (ADR) basin in Central Asia.
Study focus: To understand the spatiotemporal patterns and underlying driving mechanisms of river salinization in arid environments, this study gathered 50 years (1970–2019) of water chemistry data from 12 locations along the ADR. The variations in discharge and salinity were assessed by a linear regression model and violin plot. The salinity-discharge relationships were evaluated by a general hyperbolic model and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Random forest models were also constructed to identify the predominant drivers of river water salinization. Finally, a conceptual model of river water salinization was constructed.
New hydrological insights for the region: The water salinity (S) in the upper stream of the ADR was 541–635 mg/L. Salinity showed an increasing trend along the river course, reaching 751–1560 mg/L downstream. In the downstream, the river salinity before the 1990 s (751–1128 mg/L) was slightly lower than that after the 1990 s (983–1560 mg/L). Generally, water salinity was notably correlated with river discharge (Q) in upstream, exhibiting a relationship of S= 17,497Q- 0.62, p < 0.05, before the 1990 s. Interannual variation in river salinity is mainly controlled by secondary salinization, and intra-annual variation is controlled by river flow. From upstream to downstream, the controlling salinization process changes from primary salinization to secondary salinization. Specifically, secondary salinization has accelerated due to intensified agricultural activities in recent years.
Study focus: To understand the spatiotemporal patterns and underlying driving mechanisms of river salinization in arid environments, this study gathered 50 years (1970–2019) of water chemistry data from 12 locations along the ADR. The variations in discharge and salinity were assessed by a linear regression model and violin plot. The salinity-discharge relationships were evaluated by a general hyperbolic model and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Random forest models were also constructed to identify the predominant drivers of river water salinization. Finally, a conceptual model of river water salinization was constructed.
New hydrological insights for the region: The water salinity (S) in the upper stream of the ADR was 541–635 mg/L. Salinity showed an increasing trend along the river course, reaching 751–1560 mg/L downstream. In the downstream, the river salinity before the 1990 s (751–1128 mg/L) was slightly lower than that after the 1990 s (983–1560 mg/L). Generally, water salinity was notably correlated with river discharge (Q) in upstream, exhibiting a relationship of S= 17,497Q- 0.62, p < 0.05, before the 1990 s. Interannual variation in river salinity is mainly controlled by secondary salinization, and intra-annual variation is controlled by river flow. From upstream to downstream, the controlling salinization process changes from primary salinization to secondary salinization. Specifically, secondary salinization has accelerated due to intensified agricultural activities in recent years.
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