Title: | Ecologically sustainable surface water withdrawal for cropland irrigation through incorporation of climate variability |
Authors: | Mondal, P., P. Srivastava, L. Kalin and S.N. Panda |
Year: | 2011 |
Journal: | Journal of Soil and Water Conservation |
Volume (Issue): | 66(4) |
Pages: | 221-232 |
Article ID: | |
DOI: | 10.2489/jswc.66.4.221 |
URL (non-DOI journals): | |
Model: | SWAT |
Broad Application Category: | hydrologic only |
Primary Application Category: | irrigation impacts or irrigation BMP scenarios |
Secondary Application Category: | ENSO phenomena effects |
Watershed Description: | 31.5 km^2 Big Creek in southwest Alabama, U.S. |
Calibration Summary: | |
Validation Summary: | |
General Comments: | |
Abstract: | In several regions of the world, interannual variations in precipitation and stream
flows are related to ocean-atmosphere oscillation known as El Niño Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) in the Pacific Ocean. El Niño events, which occur after every 2 to 10 years, are
caused by high sea surface temperature and a low Southern Oscillation Index. La Niña events
are caused by low sea surface temperature and a high Southern Oscillation Index. Because
ENSO events can be accurately predicted in advance using a physical model of the coupled
ocean-atmosphere system, it is now feasible to incorporate ENSO predictions in real-time
water resources management. The objective of this study was to establish the relationship
between ENSO and precipitation, ENSO and temperature, and ENSO and stream flows, and
then use these relationships to develop a surface water withdrawal prescription for cropland
irrigation in a southwest Alabama, United States, watershed. An additional objective was to
determine the percentage of the watershed that could be irrigated through ENSO–based,
ecologically sustainable surface water withdrawal. The study was conducted in the Big Creek
watershed located in Mobile County, Alabama, using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool
(SWAT) model for simulating stream flows and developing surface water withdrawal prescriptions.
Strong relationships were found between ENSO and precipitation, ENSO and
temperature, and ENSO and stream flow in this watershed. From November to July, El Niño
episodes generated higher precipitation than La Niña episodes. On the contrary, in September
and October, La Niña episodes resulted in higher precipitation than El Niño episodes. Results
suggest that El Niño episodes produced higher stream flows during November to August
than La Niña episodes. Water withdrawal followed the same trend as the stream flow did. On
an average, it was found that around 20% of the watershed can be irrigated through ENSO–
based, ecologically sustainable surface water withdrawal. |
Language: | English |
Keywords: | ecological-sustainability—El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—in-stream flows—irrigation—modeling—surface water withdrawal |