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LuisPerezPredicted_Performance_of_an_Irrigation_Network_in_Spain_under_Climate_Change[1].pdf (72.73 kB)

Predicted performance of an irrigation network in Spain under climate change

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conference contribution
posted on 2010-07-02, 15:10 authored by Ian Smout, Luis Perez Urrestarazu
This paper applies a methodology for investigating the performance of irrigation networks under climate change to the Fuente Palmera irrigation district, in Cordoba, southern Spain, which supplies water on-demand for drip irrigation. Climate variables are predicted for 2050 and 2080 under two emission scenarios and European agricultural policy scenarios are used to predict future cropping patterns. Irrigation water requirements are then estimated for various combinations of these climate and cropping pattern scenarios, and the equity and adequacy of pressure at the outlets are estimated using EPANET, as performance indicators for the irrigation network. The results show that because of the projected change in climatic conditions in the Cordoba region, the irrigation requirements will be higher in 2050 and 2080, leading to increased maximum flow requirements at the pumping station and at the outlet. As a result, many networks in the region will be overloaded and improvements in the infrastructure will be required to cope with this higher demand. This general conclusion is valid for various climatic scenarios and projected cropping patterns and the selected emissions scenario has little impact either in terms of water requirements or network performance. In the case of Fuente Palmera irrigation district which is examined in the paper, both water consumption and energy consumption would increase. However this system would still work properly in these conditions because it was designed for sprinkler irrigation so the pumping capacity is very high. Changes in cropping pattern were found to have a high impact on network performance, even higher than the impact of climate change. Therefore, the predicted increase in network requirements due to climate change can be reduced by using an appropriate cropping pattern, adjusting crop water requirements during the year and avoiding the concentration of the water demand in a peak period. Appropriate selection of crops and the adaptation of varieties to new climate conditions could be the key factors to prevent overload of network capacity.

History

School

  • Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering

Research Unit

  • Water, Engineering and Development Centre (WEDC)

Citation

SMOUT, I.K. and PEREZ URRESTARAZU, L., 2010. Predicted performance of an irrigation network in Spain under climate change. 3rd International Perspective on Current & Future State of Water Resources & the Environment, EWRI-ASCE, Chennai, 5-7 January 2010.

Publisher

EWRI-ASCE

Version

  • NA (Not Applicable or Unknown)

Publication date

2010

Notes

This is a conference paper. Further details of this conference can be found at: http://content.asce.org/conferences/india2010/index.html

Language

  • en

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