Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures
Substantial storage reductions by irrigation pumping in many of the world’s major aquifers jeopardize future food production. As a result, new conservation measures are being utilized to reduce pumping and extend aquifer lifespans. The key question is how effective are these practices in attaining t...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Agricultural Water Management |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423002731 |
| _version_ | 1797746045540630528 |
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| author | Donald O. Whittemore James J. Butler, Jr. Geoffrey C. Bohling Blake B. Wilson |
| author_facet | Donald O. Whittemore James J. Butler, Jr. Geoffrey C. Bohling Blake B. Wilson |
| author_sort | Donald O. Whittemore |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Substantial storage reductions by irrigation pumping in many of the world’s major aquifers jeopardize future food production. As a result, new conservation measures are being utilized to reduce pumping and extend aquifer lifespans. The key question is how effective are these practices in attaining true water conservation (i.e., water use reduction) for a given area? Relationships between pumping and precipitation help provide an answer, as precipitation explains most of the variation in annual irrigation water use for aquifers in semi-arid to sub-humid climates when surface water supplies are limited. Our objective is to utilize correlations between radar precipitation and irrigation groundwater use at a range of spatial scales to assess the effectiveness of conservation approaches in the High Plains aquifer in the central USA. Linear regressions between pumping and precipitation for a conservation area established in 2013 in northwest Kansas indicate that water use and water use per irrigated area were over 27 % less and 25 % less, respectively, during 2013–2021 compared to the same climatic conditions during 2005–2012. Similar regressions found over a 38 % reduction and 23 % reduction in irrigation water use and use per irrigated area, respectively, during 2018–2021 compared to the same conditions during 2005–2017 in a west-central Kansas county with conservation areas. A decrease in irrigated area accounted for most of the difference between these reductions. Higher R2 values after conservation area establishment imply that irrigation tracks precipitation better due to use of soil moisture sensors and other measures as part of increased irrigation efficiency and enhanced water management. The precipitation and water use relationships, which are statistically significant for a wide range of spatial scales, have great potential for assessing the effectiveness of conservation practices in areas with high-quality water use and precipitation data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:31:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-765c1ca0b9b74f3ba83d60d5e123e62c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1873-2283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T15:31:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agricultural Water Management |
| spelling | doaj.art-765c1ca0b9b74f3ba83d60d5e123e62c2023-08-10T04:33:32ZengElsevierAgricultural Water Management1873-22832023-09-01287108408Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measuresDonald O. Whittemore0James J. Butler, Jr.1Geoffrey C. Bohling2Blake B. Wilson3Corresponding author.; Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66047, USAKansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66047, USAKansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66047, USAKansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, 1930 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS, 66047, USASubstantial storage reductions by irrigation pumping in many of the world’s major aquifers jeopardize future food production. As a result, new conservation measures are being utilized to reduce pumping and extend aquifer lifespans. The key question is how effective are these practices in attaining true water conservation (i.e., water use reduction) for a given area? Relationships between pumping and precipitation help provide an answer, as precipitation explains most of the variation in annual irrigation water use for aquifers in semi-arid to sub-humid climates when surface water supplies are limited. Our objective is to utilize correlations between radar precipitation and irrigation groundwater use at a range of spatial scales to assess the effectiveness of conservation approaches in the High Plains aquifer in the central USA. Linear regressions between pumping and precipitation for a conservation area established in 2013 in northwest Kansas indicate that water use and water use per irrigated area were over 27 % less and 25 % less, respectively, during 2013–2021 compared to the same climatic conditions during 2005–2012. Similar regressions found over a 38 % reduction and 23 % reduction in irrigation water use and use per irrigated area, respectively, during 2018–2021 compared to the same conditions during 2005–2017 in a west-central Kansas county with conservation areas. A decrease in irrigated area accounted for most of the difference between these reductions. Higher R2 values after conservation area establishment imply that irrigation tracks precipitation better due to use of soil moisture sensors and other measures as part of increased irrigation efficiency and enhanced water management. The precipitation and water use relationships, which are statistically significant for a wide range of spatial scales, have great potential for assessing the effectiveness of conservation practices in areas with high-quality water use and precipitation data.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423002731Water conservationRadar precipitationIrrigationHigh Plains aquifer |
| spellingShingle | Donald O. Whittemore James J. Butler, Jr. Geoffrey C. Bohling Blake B. Wilson Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures Agricultural Water Management Water conservation Radar precipitation Irrigation High Plains aquifer |
| title | Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures |
| title_full | Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures |
| title_fullStr | Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures |
| title_short | Are we saving water? Simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures |
| title_sort | are we saving water simple methods for assessing the effectiveness of groundwater conservation measures |
| topic | Water conservation Radar precipitation Irrigation High Plains aquifer |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377423002731 |
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