Global scenarios of irrigation water abstractions  for bioenergy production: a systematic review

Abstract. Many scenarios of future climate evolution and its anthropogenic drivers include considerable amounts of bioenergy as a fuel source, as a negative emission technology, and for providing electricity. The associated freshwater abstractions for irrigation of dedicated biomass plantations might be substantial and therefore potentially increase water limitation and stress in affected regions; however, assumptions and quantities of water use provided in the literature vary strongly. This paper reviews existing global assessments of freshwater abstractions for bioenergy production and puts these estimates into the context of scenarios of other water-use sectors. We scanned the available literature and (out of 430 initial hits) found 16 publications (some of which include several bioenergy-water-use scenarios) with reported values on global irrigation water abstractions for biomass plantations, suggesting water withdrawals in the range of 128.4 to 9000 km3 yr−1, which would come on top of (or compete with) agricultural, industrial, and domestic water withdrawals. To provide an understanding of the origins of this large range, we present the diverse underlying assumptions, discuss major study differences, and calculate an inverse water-use efficiency (iwue), which facilitates comparison of the required freshwater amounts per produced biomass harvest. We conclude that due to the potentially high water demands and the tradeoffs that might go along with them, bioenergy should be an integral part of global assessments of freshwater demand and use. For interpreting and comparing reported estimates of possible future bioenergy water abstractions, full disclosure of parameters and assumptions is crucial. A minimum set should include the complete water balances of bioenergy production systems (including partitioning of blue and green water), bioenergy crop species and associated water-use efficiencies, rainfed and irrigated bioenergy plantation locations (including total area and meteorological conditions), and total biomass harvest amounts. In the future, a model intercomparison project with standardized parameters and scenarios would be helpful.

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Global scenarios of irrigation water use for bioenergy production: a systematic review

10.5194/hess-2020-338 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Fabian Stenzel ◽

Dieter Gerten ◽

Naota Hanasaki

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

High Water ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Crop Species ◽

Bioenergy Production ◽

Final Energy ◽

Water Demands ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Irrigation Water Use ◽

Climate Evolution

Abstract. Many scenarios of future climate evolution and its anthropogenic drivers include considerable amounts of bioenergy as fuel source, negative emission technology, or for final energy production. The associated freshwater requirements for irrigation of dedicated biomass plantations might be substantial and therefore potentially increase water limitation and stress in affected regions; however, assumptions and quantities of water use provided in the literature vary strongly. This paper reviews existing global assessments of freshwater requirements for such bioenergy production and puts these estimates into the context of scenarios for other water use sectors. We scanned the available literature and (out of 430 initial hits) found 16 publications (partly including several scenarios) with reported values on global water demand for irrigation of biomass plantations, suggesting a range of 125–11,350 km3 yr−1 water use (consumption), compared to about 1,100–11,600 km3 yr−1 for other (agricultural, industrial, and domestic) water withdrawals. To provide an understanding of the origins of this large range, we present the diverse underlying assumptions, discuss major study differences, and make the freshwater amounts involved comparable by estimating the original biomass harvests from reported final energy or negative emissions. We conclude that due to the potentially high water demands and the trade-offs that might go along with them, bioenergy should be an integral part of global assessments of freshwater demand and use. For interpreting and comparing reported estimates of possible future bioenergy water demands, full disclosure of parameters and assumptions is crucial. A minimum set should include annual blue water consumption and withdrawal, bioenergy crop species, rainfed as well as irrigated bioenergy plantation locations (including total area), and total bioenergy harvest amounts.

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Reconstruction of global gridded monthly sectoral water withdrawals for 1971–2010 and analysis of their spatiotemporal patterns

10.5194/hess-2017-551 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Zhongwei Huang ◽

Mohamad Hejazi ◽

Xinya Li ◽

Qiuhong Tang ◽

Guoyong Leng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

High Latitude ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Electricity Generation ◽

Eastern China ◽

The United States ◽

Water Withdrawal ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Summer Peak ◽

Water Withdrawals

Abstract. Human water withdrawal has increasingly altered the global water cycle in past decades, yet our understanding of its driving forces and patterns is limited. Reported historical estimates of sectoral water withdrawals are often sparse and incomplete, mainly restricted to water withdrawal estimates available at annual and country scale, due to a lack of observations at local and seasonal time scales. In this study, through collecting and consolidating various sources of reported data and developing spatial and temporal statistical downscaling algorithms, we reconstruct a global monthly gridded (0.5 degree) sectoral water withdrawal dataset for the period 1971–2010, which distinguishes six water use sectors, i.e. irrigation, domestic, electricity generation (cooling of thermal power plants), livestock, mining, and manufacturing. Based on the reconstructed dataset, the spatial and temporal patterns of historical water withdrawal are analyzed. Results show that global total water withdrawal has increased significantly during 1971–2010, mainly driven by the increase of irrigation water withdrawal. Regions with high water withdrawal are those densely populated or with large irrigated cropland production, e.g., the United States (US), eastern China, India, and Europe. Seasonally, irrigation water withdrawal in summer for the major crops contributes a large percentage of annual total irrigation water withdrawal in mid and high-latitude regions, and the dominant season of irrigation water withdrawal is also different across regions. Domestic water withdrawal is mostly characterized by a summer peak, while water withdrawal for electricity generation has a winter peak in high-latitude regions and a summer peak in low-latitude regions. Despite the overall increasing trend, irrigation in the western US and domestic water withdrawal in western Europe exhibit a decreasing trend. Our results highlight the distinct spatial pattern of human water use by sectors at the seasonal and annual scales. The reconstructed gridded water withdrawal dataset is open-access, and can be used for examining issues related to water withdrawals at fine spatial, temporal and sectoral scales.

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Reconstruction of global gridded monthly sectoral water withdrawals for 1971–2010 and analysis of their spatiotemporal patterns

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ◽

10.5194/hess-22-2117-2018 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 2117-2133 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Zhongwei Huang ◽

Mohamad Hejazi ◽

Xinya Li ◽

Qiuhong Tang ◽

Chris Vernon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

High Latitude ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Electricity Generation ◽

The United States ◽

Water Withdrawal ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Summer Peak ◽

Water Withdrawals ◽

Global Water

Abstract. Human water withdrawal has increasingly altered the global water cycle in past decades, yet our understanding of its driving forces and patterns is limited. Reported historical estimates of sectoral water withdrawals are often sparse and incomplete, mainly restricted to water withdrawal estimates available at annual and country scales, due to a lack of observations at seasonal and local scales. In this study, through collecting and consolidating various sources of reported data and developing spatial and temporal statistical downscaling algorithms, we reconstruct a global monthly gridded (0.5∘) sectoral water withdrawal dataset for the period 1971–2010, which distinguishes six water use sectors, i.e., irrigation, domestic, electricity generation (cooling of thermal power plants), livestock, mining, and manufacturing. Based on the reconstructed dataset, the spatial and temporal patterns of historical water withdrawal are analyzed. Results show that total global water withdrawal has increased significantly during 1971–2010, mainly driven by the increase in irrigation water withdrawal. Regions with high water withdrawal are those densely populated or with large irrigated cropland production, e.g., the United States (US), eastern China, India, and Europe. Seasonally, irrigation water withdrawal in summer for the major crops contributes a large percentage of total annual irrigation water withdrawal in mid- and high-latitude regions, and the dominant season of irrigation water withdrawal is also different across regions. Domestic water withdrawal is mostly characterized by a summer peak, while water withdrawal for electricity generation has a winter peak in high-latitude regions and a summer peak in low-latitude regions. Despite the overall increasing trend, irrigation in the western US and domestic water withdrawal in western Europe exhibit a decreasing trend. Our results highlight the distinct spatial pattern of human water use by sectors at the seasonal and annual timescales. The reconstructed gridded water withdrawal dataset is open access, and can be used for examining issues related to water withdrawals at fine spatial, temporal, and sectoral scales.

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Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Potato under Alternate Furrows and Deficit Irrigation

International Journal of Agronomy ◽

10.1155/2020/8869098 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Kassu Tadesse Kassaye ◽

Wubengeda Admasu Yilma ◽

Mehiret Hone Fisha ◽

Dawit Habte Haile

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Potato Production ◽

Furrow Irrigation ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Alternate Furrow Irrigation

The benefits of water-saving techniques such as alternate furrow and deficit irrigations need to be explored to ensure food security for the ever-increasing population within the context of declining availability of irrigation water. In this regard, field experiments were conducted for 2 consecutive dry seasons in the semiarid region of southwestern Ethiopia and investigated the influence of alternate furrow irrigation method with different irrigation levels on the yield, yield components, water use efficiency, and profitability of potato production. The experiment comprised of 3 irrigation methods: (i) conventional furrow irrigation (CFI), (ii) alternate furrow irrigation (AFI), and (iii) fixed furrow irrigation (FFI) combined factorially with 3 irrigation regimes: (i) 100%, (ii) 75%, and (iii) 50% of the potato water requirement (ETC). The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design replicated thrice. Results revealed that seasonal irrigation water applied in alternate furrows was nearly half (170 mm) of the amount supplied in every furrow (331 mm). Despite the half reduction in the total amount of water, tuber (35.68 t ha−1) and total biomass (44.37 t ha−1) yields of potato in AFI did not significantly differ from CFI (34.84 and 45.35 t ha−1, respectively). Thus, AFI improved WUE by 49% compared to CFI. Irrigating potato using 75% of ETC produced tuber yield of 35.01 t ha−1, which was equivalent with 100% of ETC (35.18 t ha−1). Irrigating alternate furrows using 25% less ETC provided the highest net return of US$74.72 for every unit investment on labor for irrigating potato. In conclusion, irrigating alternate furrows using up to 25% less ETC saved water, provided comparable yield, and enhanced WUE and economic benefit. Therefore, farmers and experts are recommended to make change to AFI with 25% deficit irrigation in the study area and other regions with limited water for potato production to improve economic, environmental, and social performance of their irrigated systems.

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Water Resources Management Strategies for Irrigated Agriculture in the Indus Basin of Pakistan

Water ◽

10.3390/w12051429 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1429 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Muhammad Muzammil ◽

Azlan Zahid ◽

Lutz Breuer

Keyword(s):

Water Use ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Water Footprint ◽

Water Saving ◽

Green Water ◽

Indus Basin ◽

Irrigated Agriculture ◽

Saline Irrigation ◽

Cropping Patterns ◽

Support Tool

Agriculture of Pakistan relies on the Indus basin, which is facing severe water scarcity conditions. Poor irrigation practices and lack of policy reforms are major threats for water and food security of the country. In this research, alternative water-saving strategies are evaluated through a high spatio-temporal water footprint (WF) assessment (1997–2016) for the Punjab and Sindh provinces, which cover an irrigated area of 17 million hectares in the Indus basin of Pakistan. The SPARE:WATER model is used as a spatial decision support tool to calculate the WF and establish alternative management plans for more sustainable water use. The average water consumption (WFarea) is estimated to 182 km3 yr−1, composed of 75% blue water (irrigation water from surface water and groundwater sources), 17% green water (precipitation) and 8% grey water (water used to remove soil salinity or dilute saline irrigation water). Sugarcane, cotton, and rice are highly water-intensive crops, which consume 57% of the annual water use. However, WFarea can be reduced by up to 35% through optimized cropping patterns of the existing crops with the current irrigation settings and even by up to 50% through the combined implementation of optimal cropping patterns and improved irrigation technologies, i.e., sprinkler and drip irrigation. We recommend that the economic impact of these water-saving strategies should be investigated in future studies to inform stakeholders and policymakers to achieve a more sustainable water policy for Pakistan.

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Physiological Responses to Different Substrate Water Contents: Screening for High Water-use Efficiency in Bedding Plants

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs.133.3.333 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 133 (3) ◽

pp. 333-340 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Krishna S. Nemali ◽

Marc W van Iersel

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Photosynthetic Capacity ◽

High Water ◽

Leaf Water ◽

The Other ◽

Bedding Plants ◽

Bedding Plant ◽

Use Efficiency

Efficient use of irrigation water is increasingly important in the production of bedding plants. Two approaches to efficient water use include reducing irrigation water wastage during production by growing plants at the optimal substrate water content (θ) and growing species with high water-use efficiency (WUE). However, there is little information on the effects of different θ levels on leaf physiology of bedding plants and variation in WUE among different species of bedding plants. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of θ on leaf water relations, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and WUE of bedding plants and to identify the physiological basis for differences in WUE between two bedding plant species. We grew salvia ‘Bonfire Red’ (Salvia splendens Sellow ex Roemer & J.A. Schultes), vinca ‘Cooler Peppermint’ [Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don.], petunia ‘Lavender White’ (Petunia × hybrida Hort ex. Vilm.), and impatiens ‘Cherry’ (Impatiens walleriana Hook F.) at four constant levels of θ (0.09, 0.15, 0.22, and 0.32 m3·m−3) using an automated irrigation controller. Regardless of species, leaf water potential (Ψw) and leaf photosynthesis (A) of all four species were lower at a θ of 0.09 m3·m−3 and were not different among the other θ levels, but stomatal conductance to H2O (g S) was lower at 0.09 than at 0.15 and 0.22 m3·m−3 and highest at 0.32 m3·m−3. WUE of bedding plants at different θ levels depended on species. The WUE of petunia was unaffected by θ, whereas for the other three species, WUE was higher at a θ of 0.09 m3·m−3 than at 0.32 m3·m−3. Differences in WUE between petunia and salvia were partly from differences in photosynthetic capacity between the two species. Based on the response of A to leaf internal CO2 concentration (Ci), mesophyll conductance to CO2 [gm (a measure of photosynthetic capacity)] was higher in petunia than salvia, whereas gas phase conductance to CO2 (gCO2 ) was similar for these two species, which resulted in higher WUE in petunia than salvia.

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