Enhancing the integrated management of agricultural water in an irrigation network with the aim of balancing the aquifer (Case study: Qazvin irrigation District)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate in Hydraulic Structures, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Balancing aquifers located in agricultural areas requires improving the performance of the surface water transmission, distribution and delivery system. This study investigates the effectiveness of improving the performance of the water distribution system (main irrigation canal) in balancing the aquifer. In the first step, the numerical model of Qazvin aquifer, with MODFLOW code in GMS software, was developed to show the effect of operation methods in the main irrigation canal. Next, the hydraulic flow simulator model of the water distribution system in the main irrigation canal was developed, calibrated and validated with MATLAB software. Finally, it was linked to the predictive automatic control system. Finally, the effect of predictive automatic control system on aquifer balance was investigated. The results showed that by improving the performance of the water distribution system in the main irrigation canal, the adequacy index improved by upgrading the existing operation method to a centralized automatic control system (MPC). It is about 30% in the end areas of the irrigation district. Accordingly, the rate of reduction of abstraction from the aquifer by using the automatic predictive control system is about 401.86 million cubic meters per year. The results of numerical modeling of the aquifer showed that in the present method, the operation of the groundwater level continues to maintain an increasing trend of decline. As the results show the amount of annual drop of about 150 cm in the usual operation method. The use of predictive centralized automatic control system has increased the adequacy of water delivery to reservoirs and this has led to an increase in water levels in observation wells located in agricultural areas.

Keywords

Main Subjects


Alcamo, J., Henrichs, T., & Rösch, T. (2017). World water in 2025: Global modeling and scenario analysis for the world commission on water for the 21st century.
Amiri, M. A., & Mesgari, M. S. (2018). Analyzing the spatial variability of precipitation extremes along longitude and latitude, northwest Iran. Kuwait Journal of Science45(1), 24-45.
Bagheri, M., Hosseini, S. M., Ataie-Ashtiani, B., Sohani, Y., Ebrahimian, H., Morovat, F., & Ashrafi, S. (2021). Land subsidence: A global challenge. Science of The Total Environment, 778, 146193.
Banihabib, M. E., Vaziri, B., & Javadi, S. (2018). A model for the assessment of the effect of mulching on aquifer recharging by rainfalls in an arid region. Journal of hydrology567, 102-113.
Burt, C. M. (2013). The irrigation sector shift from construction to modernization: What is required for success?. Irrigation and Drainage62(3), 247-254.
Clemmens, A.J., Kacerek, T.F., Grawitz, B., & Schuurmans, W. (1998). Test cases for canal control algorithms. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering124(1), 23-30.
Dash, C.J., Sarangi, A., Singh, D.K., & Adhikary, P.P. (2019). Numerical simulation to assess potential groundwater recharge and net groundwater use in a semi-arid region. Environmental monitoring and assessment191(6), 371.
Harbaugh, A.W., Banta, E. R., Hill, M.C., & McDonald, M.G. (2000). MODFLOW-2000, U. S. Geological Survey Modular Ground-Water Model-User Guide to Modularization Concepts and the Ground-Water Flow Process. Open-file Report. U. S. Geological Survey, 92, 134.
Hashemi, S.M., Firoozfar, A., Sadeghi, S., & Adib-Majd, E. (2016). Performance assessment of decentralized automatic control system for applying in operation of a main irrigation canal under inflow fluctuations. Irrigation and Drainage Structures Engineering Research17(66), 137-152.
Hashemy, S.M., Firoozfar, A., Maestre, J.M., Mallakpour, I., Taghvaeian, S., & Karimi, P. (2018). Operational performance improvements in irrigation canals to overcome groundwater overexploitation. Agricultural Water Management204, 234-246.
Hosseini Jolfan, M., Hashemy Shahdany, S. M., Javadi, S., Mallakpour, I., & Neshat, A. (2019). Effects of canal automation on reducing groundwater extraction within irrigation districts: Case study of Qazvin irrigation district. Irrigation and Drainage, 69(1), 11-24.
Jin, X., Chen, M., Fan, Y., Yan, L., & Wang, F. (2018). Effects of mulched drip irrigation on soil moisture and groundwater recharge in the Xiliao River Plain, China. Water10(12), 1755.
Kourakos, G., Dahlke, H. E., & Harter, T. (2019). Increasing groundwater availability and seasonal base flow through agricultural managed aquifer recharge in an irrigated basin. Water Resources Research, 55(9), 7464-7492.
Kruawal, K., Sacher, F., Werner, A., Müller, J., & Knepper, T.P. (2005). Chemical water quality in thailand and its impacts on the drinking water production in thailand. Science of the total environment, 340(1-3), 57-70.
Litrico, X., & Fromion, V. (2009). Modeling and control of hydrosystems. Springer Science & Business Media; 2009 Sep 17.
Madani, K. (2014). Water management in Iran: what is causing the looming crisis?. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences4(4), 315-328.
Molden, D. J., & Gates, T. K. (1990). Performance measures for evaluation of irrigation-water-delivery systems. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering116(6), 804-823.
Noori, R., Maghrebi, M., Mirchi, A., Tang, Q., Bhattarai, R., Sadegh, M., ... & Madani, K. (2021). Anthropogenic depletion of Iran’s aquifers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences118(25), 1-25.
Qadir, A., Ahmad, Z., Khan, T., Zafar, M., Qadir, A., & Murata, M. (2016). A spatio-temporal three-dimensional conceptualization and simulation of Dera Ismail Khan alluvial aquifer in visual MODFLOW: a case study from Pakistan. Arabian Journal of Geosciences9(2), 149.
Rogers, D. C., & Goussard, J. (1998). Canal control algorithms currently in use. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering124(1), 11-15.
Rousta, I., Soltani, M., Zhou, W., & Cheung, H.H. (2016). Analysis of extreme precipitation events over central plateau of Iran. American Journal of Climate Change5(3), 297-313.
Shahverdi, K., & Monem, M. J. (2015). Application of reinforcement learning algorithm for automation of canal structures. Irrigation and drainage64(1), 77-84.
Schuurmans, J., Clemmens, A.J., Dijkstra, S., Hof, A., & Brouwer, R. (1999). Modeling of irrigation and drainage canals for controller design. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering125(6), 338-344.
Sheikhipour, B., Javadi, S., & Banihabib, M. E. (2018). A hybrid multiple criteria decision-making model for the sustainable management of aquifers. Environmental Earth Sciences77(19), 712.
Van Overloop, P.J., Schuurmans, J., Brouwer, R., & Burt, C.M. (2005). Multiple-model optimization of proportional integral controllers on canals. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering131(2), 190-196.
Gude, V.G. (2017). Desalination and water reuse to address global water scarcity. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology16(4), 591-609.
Gude, V.G. (2017). Desalination and water reuse to address global water scarcity. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology16(4), 591-609.
Zamani, S., Parvaresh Rizi, A., & Isapoor, S. (2015). The effect of design parameters of an irrigation canal on tuning of coefficients and performance of a PI controller. Irrigation and Drainage64(4), 519-534.