A Comparison of Water Policies for Sustainable Irrigation Management: The Case of India and Australia

A comparative analysis of irrigation related issues and effectiveness of water policies in India and Australia is conducted to help share the learning from each other’s experience in sustainable irrigation management. Keeping in pace with the global trend of implementing a sustainable water management program, India has adopted the concept of participatory irrigation management (PIM) while Australia has adopted irrigation management transfer (IMT) program. PIM in India is regarded as experimentation in diverse socio-economic settings with mixed results while IMT in Australia has achieved a high level of water use efficiency. Australian irrigation industry is currently driven by market mechanisms where water trading is expected to lead to greater efficiency. However, there are concerns that sole reliance on water use (or economic) efficiency objective may conflict with the objectives of social equity and ecological sustainability. Similar to Australia, there is an opportunity for water markets in India. However, conflict in the objectives of efficiency, equity and sustainability constrain the debate of establishing water markets in India. The comparative analysis indicates that despite both countries have a common goal of sustainable water management, their strategies differ. Nevertheless, India can emulate many of the Australian experiences in water policy reforms, entitlements, institutional arrangements, and corporate style of management while Australia can adopt the best Indian traditions of decentralized participatory and community management for sustainable irrigation water management.     

Mathematical Tools for Irrigation Water Management

Abstract

Irrigation water management has significant economic implications in developing countries like India. While the structural infrastructure has been created with a huge financial investment in these countries, it is vital that appropriate non-structural measures be adopted for efficient water management. Scientific policies of operation of irrigation reservoir systems need to be developed with the aid of mathematical tools and implemented in practice. In this paper, a brief overview of some mathematical tools for irrigation system operation, crop water allocations and performance evaluation is presented, with a discussion on the work carried out in India by the author's team. Recent tools and techniques of fuzzy optimization and fuzzy inference systems that incorporate imprecision in management goals and constraints and that address the interests of stakeholders are also discussed. Perceptions on issues relating to applicability of the tools to real-life problems, existing gaps between theory and practice and possible hurdles in narrowing such gaps in developing countries are presented.     

Challenges and prospects of sustainable groundwater management in an agricultural plain along the Silk Road Economic Belt,north-west China

Abstract

As a major challenge in building a new and sustainable Silk Road Economic Belt, threats induced by poor groundwater management have raised stress on the groundwater resources in the Yinchuan Plain, north-west China. In the present article, an overview of groundwater development in the plain, along with the associated negative effects, is provided. A fragmented management framework is found responsible for the poor groundwater management. Efficient and effective groundwater management will require proper attention of the local authorities to the inherent interaction among various water systems. Only with enhanced cooperation, an integrated monitoring network, strengthened scientific support and active public participation can the sustainability of groundwater management of the plain be achieved.     

Solarizing groundwater irrigation in India: a growing debate

Abstract

India is on a path to reduce its carbon emission intensity with a major thrust on increasing the grid-connected solar photovoltaic capacity. However, the carbon footprint in agriculture is on the rise. Heavy subsidies for electricity and diesel to pump groundwater for irrigated agriculture, combined with lack of regulations on water withdrawal, are resulting in both groundwater over-exploitation and increased carbon emissions. Some researchers and practitioners have suggested large-scale promotion of solar pumps for well irrigation as a way to make agricultural growth carbon-neutral and groundwater use in farming sustainable. This article examines whether solar pumps for groundwater irrigation are technically feasible and economically viable in India.     

Flood Management and Sustainable Development of Water Resources: The Case of Great Lakes Basin

Abstract

One challenging issue in flood planning and management is to design and apply integrated approaches to estimate likely future economic, social, and other human vulnerabilities to (and impacts of flood), and to identify desirable options that could be used to reduce these vulnerabilities. Given the uncertainties in flood management, it is difficult to decide which options are effective and desirable. Research on developing well-designed flood management strategies can provide the information and understanding necessary for identifying more effective options and better plans for ensuring regional sustainability. This paper focuses on methodology development for the multi-criteria evaluation of flood management options using the Great Lakes Basin as an example. It starts wivh an introduction of some major concerns about flood management in a context of watershed sustainability. This is followed by an indication of the importance of flood management option evaluation to sustainable water resource development. Then, it presents an integrated assessment (IA) approach to evaluate the performance of alternative flood management options, and to identify more effective and desirable policies. Application of the IA in the case study shows how the approach can be used for identifying the more desirable and effective options     

Sustainability issues and technology choice in irrigation investment

This paper discusses the concept of sustainability and its relevance in assessing technology choice issues in irrigation investment appraisal. Although, sustainable agricultural development is a desirable goal, the concept cannot lead to practical project appraisal recommendations unless it is properly defined and it is introduced in the project evaluation process as a set of selection rules. This paper discusses the concepts of sustainable development and project sustainability, and continues with rules that can be used in the project selection process to examine: (a) ecological; (b) operational; and (c) financial sustainability of projects. The paper concludes that sustainability is a useful concept to use in analysing alternative options for technical, organizational and economic issues in irrigation project appraisal.     

Communal irrigation systems in South-Eastern Africa: findings on productivity and profitability

Abstract

Significant expansion of irrigated agriculture is planned in Africa, though existing smallholder schemes perform poorly. Research at six schemes in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe shows that a range of problems are exacerbated by poor management, with limited market linkages leading to underutilization and a lack of profit. Improving sustainability of these complex systems will require: multiple interventions at different scales; investing in people and institutions as much as hardware; clarity in governments’ objectives for their smallholder irrigation schemes; appropriate business models to enable farmers; and better market linkages.     

Financial performance of India’s irrigation sector: a historical analysis

Abstract

India’s public irrigation sector is one of the largest in the world in terms of number of large reservoirs, total storage capacity and irrigated area. But poor financial performance has been threatening its sustainability. Hence, many changes have been introduced in the area of water pricing over the years. But studies that focus on the issue of financial recovery are scanty. Analysis presented in the article shows that despite a substantial increase in area under irrigation, there has been a consistent decline in revenue generated from irrigation fee collection across states. The recovery rate of irrigation fees has been better in less developed states than in more developed states.     

When the river does not naturally flow: a case study of unsustainable management in the Tagus River (Spain)

ABSTRACT

This article assesses the main problems facing the Spanish Tagus River basin, and the management that has caused (or allowed) them. It examines the economic, social, environmental and political-institutional dimensions of Tagus River management in terms of sustainable development. We find that the institutions responsible for designing and implementing water policy in the Tagus basin have been unsuccessful in balancing the three classic dimensions of sustainability, resulting in systematic and recurrent failure to comply with the European Water Framework Directive and the principles of sustainable development.     

Application of Management Information System in Improving Irrigation System Performance in a Developing Country

Abstract

Information plays a crucial role in the management of resources. Tools such as Management Information System (MIS), Decision Support System (DSS), and Expert System (ES) are used for efficient utilisation of the resources. This article focuses on the development and application of MIS in irrigation system performance. It describes the development of a MIS for a case of an irrigation system in South India. The MIS has been developed using the concept of management information system and irrigation system performance. This study also makes a comparison of the system performance with and without MIS and demonstrates that MIS helps in improving the performance.     

Integrated Water Resources Management in the Republic of Uzbekistan

Abstract

The Uzbek socio-economic structure is characterized by the transition from a centrally-planned to a market-orientated economy, with a shifting from agricultural production to industrial development. However, the agricultural sector continues to play a significant role in a general economy of the country. The major water sector strategy is to decrease the dependence of agricultural production on climate by introducing advanced irrigation techniques and water saving methods to achieve future sustainable socio-economic development and environmental protection. Water management policy should be flexible enough to adapt to new demands. The regulation of consumption through demand management tools, such as appropriate pricing policies, has recently received greater attention in Uzbekistan. The main thesis of this paper is that allocation of water resources cannot be separated from ecological and economic considerations. The establishment of development objectives and the identification of constraints are also discussed. In the coming years, special attention will need to be paid to the control of water pollution and land salinization, water resources conservation, and acknowledging that actions to increase water productivity are as important as finding additional sources of water.     

Decision Support Systems for Sustainable Management of Water Resources: 2. Case Studies

ABSTRACT

The new ethic of sustainable development extends the main principles of water resources management. Computer-based decision support systems are explored in order to identify their role in the implementation of these principles into water resource management practice. The first part of this research (see the previous article in this issue) has demonstrated that sustainable development is a global concept that needs to be made reality in any component of every decision support system to be developed for successful management of water resources. This article presents four successful case studies of decision support systems (DSSs) for sustainable management of water resources. Development of a DSS for sustainable water resource management is seen as a process, and while the issues covered in these four examples are the priorities in their respective domains, it is certain that new issues will emerge in different fields of application. So, what is presented here is thus a snapshot of current best efforts     

Sustainability Issues in Water Management

In the 1992 Rio World Summit on Environment and Development/UNCED), water resources are indicated to remain at the core of sustainable development and, thus, they are to be managed and developed on a sustainable basis. Sustainability is a philosophical concept and thus difficult to measure. Yet, we need to describe it on rather precise terms to assess whether our water management practices are sustainable and to ensure sustainability in decision making for management. To this end, a number of sustainability criteria have been defined, based on quantifiable measures, without overlooking immeasurable aspects of sustainable development. This paper considers economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability as the basic criteria to be pursued in evaluating how effective our water management plans are in achieving sustainability. On the other hand, actual case studies are needed to test the usefulness of selected criteria by using computer-based interactive optimization and simulation models with associated databases embedded into a decision support system (DSS). The study herein intends to present such a case study based on economic, social and environmental criteria to assess sustainability in management of the Gediz River Basin in Turkey. Various management scenarios developed for the basin are evaluated within a DSS while ensuring multi-stakeholder involvement in defining the three sustainability criteria. The case study is a result of the analyses carried out in SMART (Sustainable Management of Scarce Resources in the Coastal Zone) and OPTIMA (Optimization for Sustainable Water Resources Management) projects funded respectively by the 5^th and 6^th Framework Programmes of the European Union.     

Modeling Multi-objective Pareto-optimal Reservoir Operation Policies Using State-of-the-art Modeling Techniques

A novel challenge faced by water scientists and water managers today is the efficient management of the available water resources for meeting crucial demands such as drinking water supply, irrigation and hydro-power generation. Optimal operation of reservoirs is of paramount importance for better management of scarce water resources under competing multiple demands such as irrigation, water supply etc., with decreasing reliability of these systems under climate change. This study compares six different state-of-the-art modeling techniques namely; Deterministic Dynamic Programming (DDP), Stochastic Dynamic Programming (SDP), Implicit Stochastic Optimization (ISO), Fitted Q-Iteration (FQI), Sampling Stochastic Dynamic Programming (SSDP), and Model Predictive Control (MPC), in developing pareto-optimal reservoir operation solutions considering two competing operational objectives of irrigation and flood control for the Pong reservoir located in Beas River, India. Set of pareto-optimal (approximate) solutions were derived using the above-mentioned six methods based on different convex combinations of the two objectives and finally the performances of the resulting sets of pareto-optimal solutions were compared. Additionally, key reservoir performance indices including resilience, reliability, vulnerability and sustainability were estimated to study the performance of the current operation of the reservoir. Modeling results indicate that the optimal-operational solution developed by DDP attains the best performance followed by the MPC and FQI. The performance of the Pong reservoir operation assessed by comparing different performance indices suggests that there is high vulnerability (~?0.65) and low resilience (~?0.10) in current operations and the development of pareto-optimal operation solutions using multiple state-of-the-art modeling techniques might be crucial for making better reservoir operation decisions.

     

Sustainability of Natural and Mechanized Aerated Ponds for Domestic and Municipal Wastewater Treatment in Palestine

Abstract

More than half of the current wastewater treatment facilities constructed in Palestine are waste stabilization ponds (WSP) and have several problems in their operation. This article evaluates three selected case studies on the various pond systems including WSP, algae- and duckweed-based ponds (ABP and DBP, respectively) and one mechanically aerated lagoon (AL) system. The effects of various design and operating parameters on the pond system' performance, with special emphasis on nitrogen removal, are discussed. The effluent quality of WSP and AL complies only with BOD limits, but not with microbiological limits prescribed for agricultural purposes, as determined by national standards. ABP and DBP achieved nitrogen removal only under high surface area demand (5-7 m2capita-1). Suitable plans for modifying existing aerated lagoons or for upgrading natural lagoons are suggested in order to comply with microbiological standards for effluent use in restricted irrigation. Finally, the suggested sustainability criteria for the evaluated pond systems may help the decision makers, as well as their designers and donor countries, to better select and design low-cost treatment options for sustainable wastewater management in developing countries.     

The African Development Bank: President's Statement

ABSTRACT

External support agencies and national governments are advocating community management of rural drinking water supplies and sanitation facilities as an appropriate and realistic way ofguaranteeing the long-term sustainability of systems in developing countries. Experience with community managed rural water supplies in the developed world can provide useful insights and guidance for the conceptualization, planning, and implementation of community managed water projects. Lessons from a successful water supply program in Western Canada suggest that a sustainable community managed water supply project must be demand driven, that the implementing agency provide an enabling environment, and that beneficiaries be legally empowered to assume ownership and responsibility for the completed systems.     

Indicators and a Neuro-Fuzzy Based Model for the Evaluation of Water Supply Sustainability

In the field of water management, the evaluation of sustainability has no universal methodological approach nor any consensus regarding the definitions of sustainability or sustainable development. There is an essential need therefore for a precise definition of sustainability in different water management fields. This paper deals with the sustainability of one part of urban water management, namely a water supply. A precise definition of a sustainable water supply system is given, together with a methodological framework that quantifies the degree of water supply sustainability. The proposed framework relies on the proposed quasi-strong sustainability concept, its components (dimensions), their particular relationships and corresponding indicators representing individual processes in the water supply system and utility. The processing of indicators is performed through a joint fuzzy logic/neural network (ANFIS) model. In order to evaluate each sustainability component, separate ANFIS models were created whose results were aggregated into a single result (sustainability index). According to the presented framework, sustainability is evaluated for 17 public water supply systems/utilities in Croatia.     

Proposing a solution to India’s water crisis: ‘paradigm shift’ or pushing outdated concepts?

Abstract

This article is a critique of the report of the committee chaired by Dr Mihir Shah on restructuring the Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board of India. It shows that the recommendations of the committee are not based on any sound understanding of the federal nature of water administration in India, water-sector performance or the problems confronting it. The ‘paradigm shift’ in the suggested approach to water management is based on flawed analysis of the performance of surface irrigation systems and outdated concepts of irrigation efficiency, and reflects the professional bias of its members against large water infrastructure and wishful thinking about what schemes like aquifer mapping can achieve.     

Comparative analysis of hybridized solutions to water resources management in Burkina Faso,India and Peru

ABSTRACT

Hybridization of ‘green’ and engineered infrastructure, informed by protecting or restoring catchment processes, can resolve interconnected demands on catchment ecosystems, potentially also reversing historic degradation of socio-ecological systems. Pressures are acute in water-scarce, developing regions with episodic rainfall, exacerbated by historic presumptions favouring engineered management. Comparing conditions, histories and emerging approaches in contrasting regions – the Central Plateau of Burkina Faso, Rajasthan State (India) and Ayacucho Region (Peru) – reveals similar yet distinct approaches reflecting different starting regimes. Transferrable learning about hybridizing localized, nature-based solutions and engineered technology informs the necessary transition towards a sustainable approach in these and other regions.