Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, AERI

2 Professor, AERI

Abstract

About two-thirds of rivers, lakes and groundwater are applied for agricultural production in the world. Same as other countries, a significant fraction of surface and groundwater resources are used in agricultural sector in Iran. Water balance at country scale is the origin of estimation of applied water as agricultural consumption. The variability of annual precipitation is as the origin of the components of water balance in hydrological cycle, caused changeability in the water consumption of agricultural sector which are important reasons for estimating and re-estimating consumptive water in agricultural sector. Therefore, in this study, consumptive water of agricultural sector was analyzed based on long term (50 years) and short term (current 7 years) measured data for precipitation with the method of water balance in hydrological cycle in the country. Results revealed that average annual precipitation were 249±53 and 206±33 mm for two long and short studied periods, and the consumption water in agricultural sector were 67 ±18 and 83±6 km3 for long (50 years) and short (7 years) periods for non-modified conditions. The modified consumption water for the short period was 75±6 MCM.Results revealed that for the long period, the water consumption in agricultural sector was 0.50 of renewable water in the country. The outstanding of this study was up to date estimating of the water consumption in agricultural sector and its analysis. But applying water balance method for this purpose has some substantial limitations and non-reliable simplifications. Therefore suitable experiments are needed to reliably the results.
 
Key Words: Agricultural Water Consumption, Hydrological Cycle, Water Balance in the Country, Water Consumption.

Keywords

Abbasi, F., Sohrab, F. and Abbasi, N. 2016. Evaluating on irrigation efficiencies and temporal and spatial variations in Iran. Technical Note No. 48496. Agricultural Engineering Research Institute. Karaj. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Aleyassin, A. 2005. Water in Crisis. Iranian Society of Consulting Engineers. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 1976. Rainfall report for Iran. Office of Surface Water. Ministry of Energy. Tehran. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 1977. Rainfall report for Iran. Office of Surface Water. Ministry of Energy. Tehran. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 1978. Iran national water plan. Final Report. Vol. X . Bureau of Water Planning, Development and Resources Corporation. Ministry of Energy. Tehran. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 1981. Recognition of Qanats. Proceedings of the First Seminar on Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Qanats. June 27- July 2. Mashhad. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 1991. Water master plan for Iran. Groundwater Resources. Jamab Consulting Engineers. Tehran. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 1998. The feature of water and sanitation, electricity, energy and subsidies of water and electricity. Report of the Ministry of Energy to the Government Cabinet. (in Persian)
 
Anon. 2015. Groundwater statues of Iran. Report of Groundwater Department. Water Resources Studies. Ministry of Energy. Tehran. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Atrchin, M. 1980. The interpretation of government policies and current priorities. Seminar on Water. Ministry of Energy. Tehran. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Barideh, M. and Elyasi, G. H. 2008. Estimation of evaporation from dams reservoirs by evaporation pan. 3rd Conference on Water Resources Management. Tabriz University. (in Persian)
 
Eiqanyan, R. 1981. The effect of the geo-ingredients on water quality. 3rd Symposium on Geology of Iran. Association of Iranian Oil. Iranian Oil Company. March 12-14. Tehran. Iran. (in Persian)
 
Ganji, M. H. 1974. Rainfall analysis. Geographically articles. Sahab Cartography Institute. (in Persian)
 
Ghodratnema, G. H. 1998. Water resources, uses and demands for water in Iran: present and future. J. Water Develop. 6(3): 20-46. (in Persian)
 
Ghotbi, M. S. 1981. Inadequacy of the national water and the self-sufficiency in agriculture. Ministry of Energy. Water Affairs, Investigations Office for Water Resources and Surface Water. (in Persian)
 
Hemat, B. 1972. Development of water resources in the fifth development plan of Iran. Second Seminar on Irrigation and Drainage. The National Committee of Irrigation and Drainage, Ministry of Water and Power. (in Persian)
 
Keshavarz, A. and Sadeghzadeh, K. 1999. Current situation, future perspective and strategies for improving water. 10th Conference of National Committee of Irrigation and Drainage. (in Persian)
 
Kuchakpour, A. 1980. A brief report on the water resources of Iran. Seminar on Water. Ministry of Energy. Tehran, Iran. (in Persian)
 
Mohammad-Vali-Samani, J. 2005. Water resources management and sustainable development. Infrastructure Studies Office of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Report No. 7374. (in Persian)
 
Movaheddanesh, A. S. 1994. Hydrology of Surface Water. The Study and Compilation of Humanities Pub.
(in Persian)
 
 Nasseri, A. 1997. Improving irrigation efficiency is a procedure for sustainable application of water resources. Conference on Water Resources Utilization and Efficiency. Aug. 12-14. Ministry of Energy. Educational and Research Complex of Azarbaijan. Tabriz. (in Persian)
 
Nasseri, A. 2015. Estimating agricultural water consumption based on water balance in hydrological cycle of Iran and its limitations. Research Report. Agricultural Engineering Research Institute. (in Persian)
 
Sokolov, A. A. and Chapman T. G. 1974. Methods for water balance computations: An international guide for research and practice. UNESCO Press.
 
Velayati, S. A. 1995. The Geography of Water and Water Resources Management. Khorasan Pub. (in Persian)