Integration of technologies and alternative sources of water and energy to promote the sustainability of urban landscapes

Recent research has highlighted the positive role of green areas in urban environments, providing numerous social, environmental and economic services, such as mitigation of the urban heat island effect, storm attenuation, increased water infiltration into the soil, reduction of noise and air pollution, among others. However, the maintenance of green areas may result in high consumption of water, reaching 50% of the total consumption in some municipalities, and energy, becoming a reason of concern. The present study aimed to integrate techniques and technologies that promote the automatic and efficient irrigation of urban landscapes, using alternative sources of energy and water, toward its sustainability. The conceptual unit was able to reduce in 64% the water consumed in irrigation. Rainwater met 69% of the demand and the photovoltaic system supplied all the energy required. The economic feasibility analysis showed that the conceptual unit is financially unfeasible, under the conditions of this study. However, with some interventions for reusing the surplus energy and water, and considering the higher fees charged by other cities, the investment became attractive. In this new scenario, the internal rate of return (15 years) was 27.3% and the discounted payback period was 4.9 years.     

滴灌沼液对茶园土壤-茶树氮磷含量影响研究

茶园滴灌沼液,不仅可以将沼液进行生态处理,避免其造成二次污染,而且可以充分利用沼液中营养成分,提高茶园效益。实验表明,适时滴灌沼液可以保持土壤中铵态氮含量,有利于提高茶叶产量;可以改善土壤结构,增强土壤微生物活性,使滴灌区土壤中有效磷含量升高,滴灌可以提高氮磷的利用率。与非滴灌区相比,滴灌系统水肥耦合较好,更利于茶树吸收利用养分。就产茶中氮磷含量作为茶树对氮磷的吸收量而言,与非滴灌区相比,滴灌区茶树对氮磷的吸收利用率分别提高了18.12%、8.33%。     

河北省典型污灌区农田镉污染特征及环境风险评价

以河北省石家庄市典型历史污灌区农田为研究对象,对污灌区内土壤和小麦、玉米植株内Cd的含量进行分析,评价污灌区农田Cd污染程度、潜在生态风险和潜在健康风险.结果表明,上游污灌区和中下游污灌区土壤表层Cd含量分别为ND～3.88、0.10～2.30 mg·kg~(-1),明显高于清灌区(0.13～0.23 mg·kg~(-1))及河北土壤背景值(0.094 mg·kg~(-1)),超农用地土壤污染风险筛选值(0.3 mg·kg~(-1))点位分别达42.9%和35.2%;小麦和玉米籽粒平均Cd含量均未超标,小麦籽粒富集浓度高于玉米,污灌区小麦和玉米籽粒已出现明显累积现象.潜在生态风险表明上游污灌区和中下游污灌区表层土壤基本处于轻度～中度风险,部分区域生态风险较高～极高.健康风险评价结果表明Cd通过皮肤、呼吸、经口摄入暴露途径对人体健康造成的风险在可接受范围内.研究结果为污灌区农田土壤的安全利用和管理决策依据,并为开展农田土壤修复工程提供科学参考.     

农业灌溉用水经济价值及其影响因素——基于剩余价值法和陕西关中地区农户调研数据

灌溉水经济价值是农业用水定价的重要基础。根据陕西关中地区农户调研数据,采用剩余价值法计算得到小麦、玉米和苹果灌溉水经济价值均值分别为0.66 元/m³、0.84 元/m³、3.17 元/m³。以该结果作为水价调整上限与现状水价比较,小麦和玉米的水价上调空间介于0.24~0.71元/m³,苹果的水价调整空间介于2.72~3.04 元/m³之间。使用分位数模型对影响因素的研究发现：（1）仅在灌溉水经济价值较低时,农户和家庭特征以及土地分散程度有显著影响;（2）在灌溉水经济价值较高时,增强农户节水意识以及加入用水者协会将能有效提升灌溉用水经济价值;（3）粮食转为经济作物、进行农业水价综合改革在所有分位点上均呈显著正向影响。本文可为研究区域农业用水分类定价及改善用水效率提供参考。     

喷灌和沟灌方式对农田土壤NH3挥发的影响

研究了2016和2017年传统灌溉（沟灌）和节水灌溉（喷灌）方式氨（NH₃）挥发的季节年际动态变化特征及其影响因素.采用通气法进行原位监测,分析了土壤温度、体积含水量、铵态氮（NH₄⁺-N）、硝态氮（NO₃^--N）以及气温降水等因素对NH₃挥发的影响.结果表明,NH₃挥发速率的峰值出现在施用氮肥后1~2周,喷灌有效降低NH₃挥发峰值,喷灌和沟灌的NH₃挥发速率峰值在2016年分别为2.67kg/（hm²·d）和11.11kg/（hm²·d）,2017年分别为2.42kg/（hm²·d）和11.73kg/（hm²·d）;马铃薯生长季NH₃挥发存在明显的季节变化,挥发高峰主要发生在7~8月,追肥期高于基肥期.2016~2017年农田土壤NH₃累积挥发量均表现为喷灌<沟灌,与沟灌相比,喷灌分别减少58.15%和43.55%.NH₃挥发速率与土壤温度呈显著正相关（P<0.05）,与体积含水量、NH₄⁺-N、NO₃^--N浓度呈极显著正相关（P<0.01）.     

基于面积-高程积分的地下水动态分析——以泾惠渠灌区为例

为了研究泾惠渠灌区的地下水动态特征,探讨面积-高程积分在地下水动态分析中的可行性,利用ArcGIS空间分析工具计算了灌区地下水面积-高程积分数据,绘制了不同时期的地下水面积-高程积分曲线,分析了灌区地下水水位与储存量动态特征。结果显示:1978?—?2012年,泾惠渠灌区地下水面积-高程积分值为0.46、0.44、0.38、0.39,表明地下水水位与储存量整体呈下降趋势;1991?—?2012年,410.00?—?446.19 m水位区间面积由1978年的2.54下降为0,342.51?—?360.00 m水位区间面积多年持续增加,中等水位区间存在演化差异性,反映出不同时期地下水开发强度具有空间变异性;以1978年为基准,至2012年地下水储存量减少约7.08×10~8 m~3;降水、地表水引水量、人工开采是影响泾惠渠灌区地下水动态的重要因素,补排失衡是引起灌区地下水储存量下降的主要原因。研究表明:面积-高程积分曲线可以表征地下水水位空间结构特征和储存量的变化情况,利用面积-高程积分值能够近似估算地下水储存量变化量,证明了面积-高程积分在地下水动态研究中具有一定的实用性。     

IMPACT ON GROUNDWATER RESOURCES OF CONVERSION FROM FURROW TO DRIP IRRIGATION1

ABSTRACT A model is developed to analyze the groundwater conservation and depletion effects of converting sugarcane irrigation from the furrow to the drip method. The results do not support the commonly held notion that more efficient use of irrigation water will release scarce water supplies for metropolitan growth.     

PROJECTED EFFECTS OF ENERGY POLICIES ON AGRICULTURAL WATER USE AND IRRIGATION1

ABSTRACT: A national and interregional programming model was used in projecting the impacts of alternative energy policies and prices on agricultural production, land use, and irrigation. The alternatives analyzed include (a) natural gas deregulation, (b) natural gas curtailment, (c) doubled energy prices, and (d) tripled energy prices. These alternatives are compared with a base alternative where prices and conditions are at normal levels. Restraints in the model control availability of water, land, nitrogen fertilizers, and energy. Water production functions were used to adjust water use to conform with projected energy prices and policies. Natural gas curtailment would have the largest effect on nitrogen use on irrigated land. Values or shadow prices for lands that remains in irrigation would increase under all of the alternatives because of reduced supply. Increased energy prices generally would increase use of surface water for irrigation and reduce use of ground water due to higher pumping costs. Reductions of 50 percent or more in ground water use would occur in the South Central and Western regions of the United States. Water supply prices increase under all of the alternatives; with the amount varying by regions and the policy or price situation.     

WATER PROBLEMS IN THE INDUS FOOD MACHINE1

ABSTRACT: Examples are drawn from the Indus Basin to explain why on-farm water management problems restrict the output of agricultural products in many LDC's. Data is presented to illustrate the low level of water management knowledge of both the farmers and the current extension agents. Examples of the level of corruption and its effect on the operating system are illustrated. Several requirements that must be met before a large-scale irrigation scheme will actually increase the welfare of LDC's farmers are presented.     

POTENTIAL IMPACT OF IRRIGATION ON WATER RESOURCES IN THE LITTLE WABASH BASIN OF ILLINOIS1

The level of water demand for supplemental irrigation and the impact of such demand on water supplies were estimated, as a function of the price of corn (Zea Mays L.). The method of estimation was based on an economic analysis of irrigation practice which assumed constant irrigation costs, profit maximizing behavior on the part of irrigators, and which was deliberately structured to underestimate the level of irrigation water use. The analysis was applied to and used data from the Little Wabash basin in Illinois. No irrigation was predicted at a corn price below $3.50 per bushel. Between $3.50 and about $6.50 per bushel, irrigation was estimated to be profitable for a small region of the basin where acceptable groundwater was available. Above about $6.50 to $7.50, irrigation was found to be profitable in the remainder of the basin, where impoundment storage was required. The potential impact on the water resources of the basin is significant. For a corn price between $3.50 and about $6.50, the probability of a shortfall, defined as the event where the potential demand exceeds the supply, was estimated to be between 2 percent and 20 percent during the growing season. Above about $7.50, this probability was found to be about one-third. The development of policies to control withdrawals for irrigation and other uses is endorsed.