Reservoir Release Policy for Large Irrigation System

• Published in: Journal of irrigation and drainage engineering Vol. 127; no. 5; pp. 302 - 310
• Main Authors: Sahoo, G. B, Loof, R, Abernethy, C. L, Kazama, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reston, VA American Society of Civil Engineers 01.10.2001
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Irrigation. Drainage; TECHNICAL PAPERS; Thailand; Thailand; Asia; South east Asia; Irrigation; Tropical zone; Water supply; Water resource management; Optimization method; Analytic hierarchy process; Developing countries; Linear programming; Reservoir; Dry season; Artificial lake; Water engineering; Decision aid; Water requirement; Mathematical model
• ISSN: 0733-9437; 1943-4774
• DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9437(2001)127:5(302)

This paper describes the formulation of a model for optimized crop and water planning decisions in an irrigation system in Thailand. It facilitates consultation in which representatives of stakeholders, officials, farmers, and researchers can contribute to the decision making. Linear programming and the analytical hierarchy process are the principal modeling tools to optimize the collective system objectives: productivity, equity, and security. The results of the model are compared with observed events of one dry season. The optimized policy generated by the model suggested a diversified cropping pattern, which would decrease the water requirement by 16.4% and enhance net benefit per cubic meter of water used by 39.9%. The erratic water availability from the reservoir and the operational procedures inside the system are reviewed, analyzing historical data in terms of reliability, resiliency, and vulnerability. These include lack of proper assessment of available water, effective farmer organization, and prompt data processing and communication. Furthermore, for the effective implementation of an optimized irrigation policy, a water release pattern of the storage reservoir has been suggested.