| dc.description.abstracteng | Increasing water irrigation demand combined with water scarcity and deterioration of the
water quality in the Lower Jordan Valley (hereafter referred to as LJV) - Palestine, has led to
a serious challenge in managing current and future water demands. This problem is not
restricted to Palestine but to the region in general. Providing feasible solution strategies for
water management has demonstrated to be a complex task. Mismanagement of water
resources aggravates the problem. Therefore, integrated water resources management
promises applicable and creative solutions for the future in terms of water strategies. The
main goals of this study are to develop these strategies end based on regional agricultural
strategies development.
The Case Study Area (Hereafter referred to as CSA), Auja area, is located in the LJV., CSA
has suffered from water scarcity and water quality deterioration, This was manifested in
decreasing irrigated lands from 10,000 donums in 2010 to only about 4,000 donums in
2013and change in crop patterns in the area. Moreover high chloride concentration in shallow
aquifer - with 2000μs/cm² in some wells - has caused increased deterioration in water quality.
Therefore, the study investigated creative alternatives based on integrated available water
resources management and the exploration of non-conventional resources in the area.
The study assumed many strategies of agricultural and water resources development, which
jointly constitute strategies of firstly, agriculture development and secondly, water strategies.
Both strategies should act as the core of the problem as well as its solution. Accordingly,
integrated water resources management (hereafter referred to as IWRM) focused on managing
aquifer recharge (MAR) and using brackish water in irrigation. This idea is the base for the
assumption of this research.
MAR and brackish water eventually are top priority scenarios for meeting water requirements
in the future. Decision-makers are urged to take these scenarios into consideration to achieve
sustainable development plans in the Palestinian territories.
Irrigated lands in the CSA cover 3,800 donums vis-à-vis 30,000 irrigable donums. Main water
resources come from Auja Springs and shallow aquifer wells. Available irrigation water does
not exceed 3.5 Mm3/a. CSA is served by field survey including soil, water, land, and
agriculture cover use. CSA is composed of three Agricultural land zones: zone 1, zone 2 and
zone 3. These zones reflect the current cultivated area as well as lands expansion scenarios for
an additional 8,500 donums of new irrigated lands with plantations of date palm trees,
intensive green house agriculture and grapes. The scenario is based on soil profile analysis of
root zone and soil hydrochemistry analysis.
Water Management Strategies towards Sustainable Agricultural Development
XVI
These three land zones represent three agricultural development strategies based on water
budget analysis and are jointly linked with the three assumed water strategies. The three water
strategies (WSs) are:
1- WS I which is the Do-Nothing approach which reflects large water quantities deficit;
2-The WS II is based on MAR scenario, the Mathematical model of transient GMS-Modflow
It is considered as a tool for water management in the CSA. It supplies 2 million cubic meters
of surplus water by direct injection into the shallow aquifer wells, in addition to infiltrated
flood surface run-off from Wadi Auja.
3-The WS III, is based on 100% of IWRM using all non-conventional water resources,
varying from brackish water desalination and treated effluent to importing water from outside
the CSA and the use of Current Untapped Water Resources (CUWR). This strategy will
change the current crop pattern taking into consideration the water budget. It could offer
additional 12 million cubic meters (Mm3) for the extra irrigated expanded land scenario.
Evaluating the best management scenarios regarding performance and impact assets based on
Driving-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) frame work, would give several decision
variables (DVs) as a prelude to form decision criteria analysis and analytical hierarchy
procedure (AHP) used for scaling and weighing different decision variables (DVs) This would
produce the best management scenario by mixing brackish and fresh water and completely
change the crop pattern in the CSA. The change would accrue through planting date palms. In
this context, MAR scenario comes as intermediate priority by evaluation results, although it
would need further investigation in the future. | de |