Many irrigation performance indicators were used in irrigated area. in a case of rainfed area, new water pump installed from the river. what is the best of measurement of sustainable irrigation performance?
Most countries have some form of water right, based on water law regulations. For long term sustainability, it would be best to apply for the water needs, and have them recognized by your country or authorized agency, community, etc. You might be able to install a water meter in the pump line to help measure the amount pumped and keep records based on the amount needed by day, season, rainfall, etc. as is possible. I would imagine there to be recording meters with time, or capture water meter when pump is started or stopped to help gather use data. Different crops and soils would have different water needs as well as available water holding capacity. Some plants that begin to wilt are damaged while others respond well to timely watering, or are able to close their stomata tightly to conserve water and delay or prevent damage. Agronomists, soil Scientists and plant physiologists from your area or region are among those knowledgeable to some of the specifics you are seeking. One should be aware that during low flow periods of the river, other water users and instream organisms may be affected, so conservation practices may be required or appropriate. Sustainability in some instances may have to consider water storage or groundwater use if permitted, and under severe drought conditions continuing irrigation may have more costs than benefits, and higher potential for crop failures and other impacts. Ability to use irrigation water efficiently such as drip irrigation may allow some extended allowance of water use.
William F. Hansen , Thank you for your answer. which is the best indicator to measure irrigation pumping system? any references to support them?
The major limitation of soil water content data is the reliance on soil physical properties. That is, depending on the type of soil being measured, for example in a sandy or a clay soil, the same water content value carries a vastly different meaning. For instance, a 20% volumetric water content measurement on a sandy soil indicates a moist to saturated soil. A value of 20% recorded on a clay soil, on the other hand, indicates a near dry soil. Therefore, a user needs to have an intimate knowledge of the soil physical properties where they are measuring water content in order to gain meaningful information.
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