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Dept. Biological and Agricultural Engineering Texas A & M University System

Facing the Challenges: Developing Innovative Solutions to Water Resources Problems in Irrigation Districts

The Irrigation Sector:

Current Status•260 million acres under irrigation•Consumes 70% of all withdrawals•Irrigation district objective to supply irrigation water only•Inadequate provisions for drainage and environmental objectives

Urgent Challenges in Irrigation District Management• Rapidly deteriorating irrigation infrastructure

•24% of lands suffering yield reductions due to salinization

•Steady increase in Municipal and Industrial (M&I) water demand in irrigated areas

Innovative Solutions Needed to Meet New Water Resource Objectives:

1. System MODERNIZATION: Irrigation Districts as service providers delivering a quality service to all consumers

2. Maximize use of existing supplies

3. Provide Municipal and Industrial (M&I) supplies to adjacent communities

4. Meet suitable environmental standards including in-stream flows and quality of drainage flows.

DMS demoof several

highly watered fields .

A GIS-based DMS allows

users and managers to

evaluate water use and correct over-irrigating

Irrigation Network Model

GISDATABASE

--------------

*storage*analyses*mapping*display

PRIORITIES FOR EACH

OBJECTIVE

ISSUES FOR MORE

DETAILED ANALYSIS

OUTPUTINPUT

DEVELOP SCALES*seepage, head deficiency

*condition, use*upgrade potential

*importance

SURVEYLOSSES :seepage, headRATINGS: condition,

use, importance, upgrade potential

Typical Rating Scale:Typical Rating Scale:Cracks on lined canalsCracks on lined canals

1 1 -- sparsesparse2 2 -- greater than 10’apartgreater than 10’apart3 3 -- 5’ to 10’ apart5’ to 10’ apart4 4 -- 3’ to 5’ apart3’ to 5’ apart5 5 -- less than 3’apartless than 3’apart

The Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT) Development

•Combination of GIS, field surveys and limited field measurements to evaluate losses, importance and ease of upgrading

Ponding tests location in LGRV Project

Measuring seepage loss

Some Results from the RAT••RAT applied to irrigation districts in LGRVRAT applied to irrigation districts in LGRV•Combination of GIS, field surveys and limited field measurements to evaluate losses, importance and ease of upgrading

DMSHYDRAULIC MODEL

RAT

REHAB.,REPAIR

PRIORITIES

MAINTENANCEMONITORING

ASSET VALUATION

MANAGEMENT REVIEW

ISSUES FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS*hydraulic*operation

management

MODERNIZAION, UPGRADING PRIORITIES

PERFORMANCE MONITORING

Summary of Products

and Utilities

The FutureImprovement work continues on the DMS, Hydraulic Model and RAT products. When fully developed these products can be used to exploit the significant opportunities for improving water resource management in irrigation district throughout the world. As irrigation systems are spatially located, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is highly suitable as an innovative tool in irrigation systems planning and management.

Facing the Challenges – Developing Innovative Solutions

1. Database Management System integrated with GIS to Improve District Management


2. GIS - Integrated Conveyance System Hydraulic Model for Daily Operation and Irrigation Network Automation


3. Rapid Assessment Tool (RAT) for Diagnosing Problems and Developing Priorities in Irrigation Districts

Milton Henry and Guy Fipps P. E. http://dms.tamu.edu College Station, TX 77843 - 2117