MEASURING EVAPORATION WITH CERAMIC BELLANI PLATE ATMOMETERS1

ABSTRACT: Ceramic atmometers were tested to determine their usefulness for measuring evaporation in water resources applications. Field experiments were used to evaluate the precision, responsiveness to a range of potential evaporation conditions in a forested catchment, and interpretation of water loss of Bellani plate atmometers. The experiments, conducted from April to October in a warm, humid climate in the southeastern United States, indicate that atmometers can be reliable monitoring instruments for estimating potential evaporation. The small size, portability, low internal thermal mass, low cost, and ability to integrate the effect of radiation, air temperature, humidity and windspeed into one direct measurement of potential evaporation, make atmometers a useful instrument for certain water resources applications.     

STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF KAREZ IRRIGATION1

ABSTRACT: The karez is a traditional irrigation water source, consisting of hand-dug horizontal wells, that is still used in parts of South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. This paper describes the construction, management, and current problems of karez irrigation systems based on investigations conducted in Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. While karezes have served irrigation needs well in the past, they are now threatened by high costs of labor for construction and maintenance, and by the encroachment of tubewells which lower the water tables on which the karez systems depend. Possible methods for improving karez performance and needs for research are discussed.     

MODELING WATER UTILIZATION IN LARGE-SCALE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS: A QUALITATiVE RESPONSE APPROACH1

ABSTRACT: Given limited available data and the present state of knowledge on the social aspects of irrigation, there is a need to develop new quantitative methods to measure water management performance in large-scale systems. A qualitative response framework is adapted to formulate a dynamic logit model of weekly field water adequacy and quantify indirectly farmer water utilization. Model parameters are estimated in a weighted least-squares regression using four seasons of data from a Philippine canal system. Estimated coefficients and independent model forecasts indicate greater effective use of rainfall than irrigation in sustaining high levels of water adequacy during the rainy season. Irrigation utilization is two times higher in the dry season, while system location has a much smaller but still significant impact. Utilization rates for both rain and irrigation showed considerable responsiveness to the prevailing scarcity of water. The qualitative response approach is well suited to the aggregated data available for large-scale systems, and allows advances in modeling dynamic water management behavior. Formal evaluation of the model will require further empirical applications.     

VALUING IRRIGATION WATER IN PUNJAB PROVINCE,PAKISTAN: A LINEAR PROGRAMMING APPROACH1

ABSTRACT: Linear programming models of a representative farm in a district of Pakistan's Punjab Province are formulated for the purpose of estimating the value of irrigation water. The models provide for choices among several irrigation levels for each potential crop. Solutions of the model for several water supply situations provide the basis for approximating the total, average, and marginal values of irrigation water. Prices for important crops in Pakistan are controlled at levels below their levels elsewhere in the world, so models are specified for both financial (domestic price) and economic (world price) scenarios. The value of water to society (its economic value) is high relative to the costs of some generally available water-augmenting investments, while financial values, which measure water management and allocation incentives faced by farmers, are less than the corresponding economic values. At current water supply levels, incremental returns to added water estimated from the economic model would justify investments in water-saving or water-augmenting technologies, while such a decision would be barely attractive assuming financial prices. While present government commodity price policies may serve to protect low-income and non-farm members of the population, they also inhibit farmer investments to increase the productivity of scarce irrigation water.     

辽西易旱区集雨灌溉山地大棚技术

通过雨水径流的集蓄储存可解决水源问题，发展山地蔬菜大棚。结果表明：一个70m^3的水窖集水在配以渗灌技术的条件下可以满足333m^2的大棚生育期用水需求，与传统畦灌相比节水53.4%，且效益可观，达20万元／hm^2，使干旱贫瘠的山地一跃成为发展高效农业的园田，为辽西易旱区坡地高效利用开辟了一条新途径。     

Impact of Urban Growth and High Residential Irrigation on Streamflow and Groundwater Levels in a Peri‐Urban Semiarid Catchment

The impact of urbanization on groundwater is not simple to understand, as it depends on a variety of factors such as climate, hydrogeology, water management practices, and infrastructure. In semiarid landscapes, the urbanization processes can involve high water consumptions and irrigation increases, which in turn may contribute to groundwater recharge. We assessed the hydrological impacts of urbanization and irrigation rates in an Andean peri‐urban catchment located in Chile, in a semiarid climate. For this purpose, we built and validated a coupled surface–groundwater model that allows the verification of a strong stream–aquifer interaction in areas with shallow groundwater, higher than some sewers and portions of the stream. Moreover, we also identified a significant local recharge associated with pipe leaks and inefficient urban irrigation. From the evaluation of different future scenarios, we found a sustainable water conservation scenario will decrease the current groundwater levels, while the median flow reduces from 408 to 389 L/s, and the low flow (Q_95%) from 43 to 22L/s. Overall, our results show the relevance of integrating the modeling of surface and subsurface water resources at different spatial and temporal scales, when assessing the effect of urban development and the suitability of urban water practices.     

A study on operation problems of hydropower plants integrated with irrigation schemes operated in Turkey

In this study, Hydroelectric Power Plants, which have been built and integrated with irrigation schemes by the State Hydraulic Works which is a government agency and private companies in Turkey, have been examined. Technical, environmental, structural and social problems encountered during their operation have been analyzed, and appropriate solution proposals have been presented in the study for a sustainable irrigation and Hydroelectric Power Plant operation. Consequently, Hydroelectric Power Plants which have been integrated with irrigation schemes should be operated efficiently and they should be operated in attenuation with the environment. However, when hydroelectric projects are developed without preparing their necessary integrated basin management plans, then this will cause environmental, operation and maintenance, administrative, monitoring and evaluation problems. In order to ensure sustainability of hydroelectricity production and also in order to use water resources more efficiently for irrigation; it is very important to find permanent solutions to these problems.     

污灌条件下非离子表面活性剂对土壤中有机农药迁移的影响研究

采用振荡平衡法和淋洗法,研究了污灌条件下非离子表面活性剂Tween－80在表层土壤和深层土壤上的吸附行为及其对有机农药甲萘威迁移的影响。结果表明：在振荡平衡条件下,低Tween－80浓度的污水灌溉会促进甲萘威在表层土壤中的吸附,而高Tween－80浓度的污水灌溉会抑制甲萘威在深层土壤中的吸附;在淋洗条件下,Tween－80在深层土壤中表现出较强的吸附能力。     

黄河上游灌区连作稻田N2O排放特征及影响因素

黄河上游灌区高产连作稻田氮肥的过量施用引起土壤氮素盈余,进而导致稻田N2O排放量增大.为了探明水稻连作模式下稻田N2O排放特征及影响因素,采用静态箱-气相色谱法,开展了为期2年的连作水稻田试验研究.试验共设置3个施氮处理,包括常规氮肥300kg.hm-2(N300)、优化氮肥240kg.hm-2(N240)和对照不施氮肥(N0),并在稻田连作的第2年,对N240处理灌溉节水30%.2年连作试验结果表明,水稻生长季稻田N2O排放主要发生在水稻施基肥后及水稻生长的中后期,在稻田灌水泡田后N2O排放速率达最大值.稻田高氮肥(300kg.hm-2)施用显著增加N2O的排放量,优化氮肥(240kg.hm-2)处理可有效降低土壤N2O排放量(p<0.01).水稻生长季稻田淹水状态时N2O排放量极低,稻田灌溉节水会相应增加土壤N2O排放量.土壤温度变化对稻田N2O的生成和排放会产生较大影响,但受稻田肥水管理等因素的影响,温度与N2O排放量相关性不显著.灌区稻田土壤N2O排放通量与田面水NO3--N含量变化及耕层0～40cm土壤NO3--N积累量变化有显著的相关性.稻田连作显著增加了耕层土壤剖面0～40cm土层NO3--N的积累量,耕层土壤NO3--N积累量的增加进而加大了土壤N2O排放的风险.在宁夏黄灌区稻田常规灌水和高氮肥(300kg.hm-2)水平下,2年连作稻田水稻生长季土壤N2O总排放量分别达55.98×104kg.a-1和51.48×104kg.a-1,在100a时间尺度上的全球增温潜势(GWPs)均值为16.02×107kg.hm-2(以CO2计),表明黄灌上游灌区高氮肥施用导致稻田N2O排放量增大,由此引起的增温潜势严重.     

Monitoring bioaccumulation and toxic e ects of hexachlorobenzene using the polyurethane foam unit method in the microbial communities of the Fuhe River,Wuhan

Hexachlorobenzene （HCB） is a chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbon that was widely used for seed dressing in prevention of fungal growth on crops, and also as a component of fireworks, ammunition, and synthetic rubbers. Because of its resistance to degradation and mobility, HCB is widely distributed throughout the environment and is accumulated through food chains in different ecosystems. In this study, a preliminary investigation was carried out on the bioaccumulation and the toxic effects of HCB in the microbial （protozoan in particular） communities in the Fuhe River, Wuhan, a water body receiving industrial wastewaters containing HCB and other pollutants, using the standardized polyurethane foam units （PFU） method. Field samples were taken from eight stations established along the Fuhe River in January and August 2006. The concentration ratios of HCB in microbial communities and in water were 9.66-18.64, and the microbial communities accumulated 13.29-56.88 μg/L of HCB in January and 0.82-10.25 μg/L HCB in August. Correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between the HCB contents in the microbial assemblage, and the number of species and the diversity index of the protozoan communities. This study demonstrated the applicability of the PFU method in monitoring the effects of HCB on the level of microbial communities.