Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran

Groundwater irrigation consumes considerable energy as well as water resources across the globe. Using a case study from Iran, this paper explores how enhanced farm water management can help in reducing groundwater exploitation and subsequently limiting energy consumption and the carbon footprint of...

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Autores principales: Karimi, P., Qureshi, Asad Sarwar, Bahramloo, R., Molden, David J.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Elsevier 2012
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34595
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author Karimi, P.
Qureshi, Asad Sarwar
Bahramloo, R.
Molden, David J.
author_browse Bahramloo, R.
Karimi, P.
Molden, David J.
Qureshi, Asad Sarwar
author_facet Karimi, P.
Qureshi, Asad Sarwar
Bahramloo, R.
Molden, David J.
author_sort Karimi, P.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Groundwater irrigation consumes considerable energy as well as water resources across the globe. Using a case study from Iran, this paper explores how enhanced farm water management can help in reducing groundwater exploitation and subsequently limiting energy consumption and the carbon footprint of the groundwater economy. Groundwater use for irrigated agriculture in Iran has increased vastly over the last three decades. We estimate that groundwater pumping consumes 20.5 billion kWh electricity and 2 billion liters of diesel and contributes to 3.6% of the total carbon emission of the country. Thus there is an opportunity to reduce energy use and carbon emissions by pumping less water. However, groundwater use remains important for food security. To identify opportunities for water conservation within agricultural fields, the SWAP model was applied to simulate crop growth and field water balance for three major irrigated crops, i.e. wheat, maize, and sugar beet in the Gamasiab River Basin, one of the highest groundwater using irrigated areas of Iran. The model simulations showed that by adopting improved irrigation schedules and improving farm application efficiencies, water productivity will increase, and irrigation water withdrawals from groundwater can be reduced significantly with no reduction in yields. While these improvements may or may not result in water saving and retarding the ground water decline, depending on the fate of excess application, they will have significant water quality, energy, and carbon implications. Such reduction in irrigation application can result in 40% decline in energy consumption and subsequently carbon emission of groundwater use.
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spelling CGSpace345952024-03-25T19:48:17Z Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran Karimi, P. Qureshi, Asad Sarwar Bahramloo, R. Molden, David J. groundwater irrigation water mangement energy consumption electricity emission water conservation Groundwater irrigation consumes considerable energy as well as water resources across the globe. Using a case study from Iran, this paper explores how enhanced farm water management can help in reducing groundwater exploitation and subsequently limiting energy consumption and the carbon footprint of the groundwater economy. Groundwater use for irrigated agriculture in Iran has increased vastly over the last three decades. We estimate that groundwater pumping consumes 20.5 billion kWh electricity and 2 billion liters of diesel and contributes to 3.6% of the total carbon emission of the country. Thus there is an opportunity to reduce energy use and carbon emissions by pumping less water. However, groundwater use remains important for food security. To identify opportunities for water conservation within agricultural fields, the SWAP model was applied to simulate crop growth and field water balance for three major irrigated crops, i.e. wheat, maize, and sugar beet in the Gamasiab River Basin, one of the highest groundwater using irrigated areas of Iran. The model simulations showed that by adopting improved irrigation schedules and improving farm application efficiencies, water productivity will increase, and irrigation water withdrawals from groundwater can be reduced significantly with no reduction in yields. While these improvements may or may not result in water saving and retarding the ground water decline, depending on the fate of excess application, they will have significant water quality, energy, and carbon implications. Such reduction in irrigation application can result in 40% decline in energy consumption and subsequently carbon emission of groundwater use. 2012-05-15 2013-11-21T05:04:48Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z 2013-11-21T05:04:48Z 2014-02-02T16:39:50Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34595 en Limited Access Elsevier Karimi, P., Qureshi, A. S., Bahramloo, R., & Molden, D. (2012). Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: A case study from Iran. In Agricultural Water Management (Vol. 108, pp. 52–60). Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2011.09.001
spellingShingle groundwater
irrigation
water mangement
energy consumption
electricity
emission
water conservation
Karimi, P.
Qureshi, Asad Sarwar
Bahramloo, R.
Molden, David J.
Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran
title Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran
title_full Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran
title_fullStr Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran
title_full_unstemmed Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran
title_short Reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management: a case study from Iran
title_sort reducing carbon emissions through improved irrigation and groundwater management a case study from iran
topic groundwater
irrigation
water mangement
energy consumption
electricity
emission
water conservation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/34595
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AT bahramloor reducingcarbonemissionsthroughimprovedirrigationandgroundwatermanagementacasestudyfromiran
AT moldendavidj reducingcarbonemissionsthroughimprovedirrigationandgroundwatermanagementacasestudyfromiran