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Sustainable Groundwater Resource Development for Agriculture

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Agriculture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 17444

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Water Security Program, CSIRO Environment, Black Mountain Science and Innovation Park, Canberra, Australia
Interests: coastal water and salinity management; agricultural water management; hydrology; food security; river basin management
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Guest Editor
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
Interests: soil-water engineering; irrigation and groundwater management; climate change and crop production
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Guest Editor
Water Security Program, CSIRO Land and Water, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
Interests: groundwater modelling and management; uncertainty analysis; optimization; water resources management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

(1) Outline the overall a. focus, b. scope and c. purpose of the special issue;

  1. Focus: The special issue focuses on featuring the latest research on sustainable and climate-resilient development and the management of groundwater resources for agriculture, particularly in Asia. Worldwide, groundwater provides the source for nearly half of the total irrigated food production. In a changing climate, the sustainable development of groundwater is crucial for achieving food security in many parts of the world. The over-exploitation of groundwater can inhibit access to and deplete the quality of groundwater, with resulting negative impacts on human health, livelihoods, food security, and national economic development. In a developing context, the negative effects of unsustainable use can non-uniformly impact the poorest sections of society. Hence, sustainable groundwater development is a key component of integrated water resources management. Delineation, characterization, assessment, quantification, and assessment of the current and potential future use of groundwater resources for agriculture, livestock, domestic, and industrial purposes, and their environmental, cultural, and economic values are all critical for informing the sustainability and optimal management of the resource.
  2. Scope: The Special Issue invites contributions that report theoretical and applied developments in the focus areas for the sustainable development and management of groundwater for irrigated agriculture. Specifically, studies that report the characterization and delineation of groundwater in regions of intensive irrigated agriculture, the assessment of regional and areal water balance and irrigation water use, groundwater modelling studies, developmental and climate impact scenario analysis, the cost-effective development of groundwater for irrigation, tube wells and pumps for groundwater development, and the economics of irrigated agriculture are of significant interest.
  3. Purpose: The Special Issue intends to consolidate theoretical and applied developments in groundwater development for sustainable agriculture. While an increased focus on applied studies from groundwater basins of Asia is placed, theoretical and methodological submissions from anywhere in the world are equally encouraged.

(2) Suggest how the Issue will usefully supplement (relate to) existing literature.

The accelerating use of groundwater for irrigation has led to the widespread depletion of groundwater resources, especially in areas with extended dry seasons and/or regular droughts. This has caused a number of collateral negative effects like conflicts among water users, aquifer salinization, and the degradation of many aquatic ecosystems. Future policies to address the sustainable management of groundwater resources in agriculture will be greatly influenced by climate change and climate variability. Knowledge on the behavior of a groundwater system and its interaction with the environment is required to formulate a sustainable management plan. Groundwater models supported by observed data can play a key role in assessing the future behavior of groundwater systems to stresses and finding effective operating conditions for the sustainable development and management of groundwater resources. This Special Issue of the journal is envisioned to advance our knowledge on these concerns of sustainable groundwater use.

Dr. Mohammed Mainuddin
Prof. Dr. Mohammad A. Mojid
Dr. Sreekanth Janardhanan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • groundwater
  • irrigated agriculture
  • climate change
  • sustainability

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3754 KiB  
Article
Integrated GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis for Groundwater Potential Mapping in the Euphrates’s Sub-Basin, Harran Basin, Turkey
by Veysel Aslan and Recep Çelik
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7375; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137375 - 1 Jul 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3014
Abstract
The Harran Basin is an important region where agricultural activities have been conducted for millennia. The agricultural water needs of the basin are largely met with surface irrigation through the GAP (South-Eastern Anatolian Project), while groundwater is used in some regions as potable [...] Read more.
The Harran Basin is an important region where agricultural activities have been conducted for millennia. The agricultural water needs of the basin are largely met with surface irrigation through the GAP (South-Eastern Anatolian Project), while groundwater is used in some regions as potable water, tap water, and irrigation water. In this study, the groundwater potential of the Harran Basin was determined through the “GIS-based Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)” Method. Ten criteria were considered: Land Use, Soil, Geomorphology, Geology, Aquifer, Drainage Density, Rainfall, Slope, Lineament Density, and Terrain Class. The weights of these criteria were determined through the AHP method, and the operations were performed in the ArcGIS environment. As the results of this study, the Groundwater Potential Index (GWPI) values were obtained, and five regions were determined based on their Groundwater Potential Zone (GWPZ) classifications: very poor GWPI: 0.10% (5.14 km2); poor GWPI: 29.20%; moderate GWPI: 38.20%; good GWPI: 30.90%; and very good GWPI: 1.50%). We determined that the region is a plain with a low slope and geologically consists of limestone. Notably, areas with poor water potential are mountainous and hilly, and the slopes over these areas are high. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Groundwater Resource Development for Agriculture)
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20 pages, 8790 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Groundwater Quality beneath Agriculturally Advanced Region of Northern Alluvial Plain, India
by Anant Gautam, Suresh Chand Rai and Shive Prakash Rai
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7053; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137053 - 23 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3436
Abstract
In the present study, groundwater suitability for domestic and irrigation purposes was analyzed in the alluvial aquifers of the Bist-Doab region of Punjab, India, using various indices such as WQI, WAWQI, MCDA, RSC, SAR, PI, %Na, KR, MH, PS, K, and Ka [...] Read more.
In the present study, groundwater suitability for domestic and irrigation purposes was analyzed in the alluvial aquifers of the Bist-Doab region of Punjab, India, using various indices such as WQI, WAWQI, MCDA, RSC, SAR, PI, %Na, KR, MH, PS, K, and Ka. Since it is difficult to assess the suitability of groundwater for irrigation based on various indices individually, a composite groundwater quality index for irrigation (CGQII) was used in the study which transforms nine indices to a single value for each sample. Results reveal that the groundwater of a few blocks was found unsuitable for domestic use due to chemical leaching from fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural and industrial wastes. Whereas, the groundwater of mainly southwestern parts was found unsuitable for irrigation due to long-term water accumulation in aquifers and continuous use of sodium-ion-rich groundwater. The findings conclude that anthropogenic activities have played a significant role in making groundwater unfit for domestic and irrigation purposes in the study area. The present study also emphasizes continuous monitoring and evaluation of groundwater quality, which will help in strategic planning and management for the conservation of groundwater resources in the region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Groundwater Resource Development for Agriculture)
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20 pages, 5923 KiB  
Article
Modeling and Management Option Analysis for Saline Groundwater Drainage in a Deltaic Island
by Renji Remesan, Arjun Prabhakaran, Macariush N. Sangma, Sreekanth Janardhanan, Mohammed Mainuddin, Sukanta K. Sarangi, Uttam Kumar Mandal, Dhiman Burman, Sukamal Sarkar and Kshirenda Kumar Mahanta
Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6784; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126784 - 15 Jun 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2105
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between shallow saline groundwater and surface water is crucial for managing water logging in deltaic islands. Water logging conditions result in the accumulation of salt in the root zone of crops and detrimentally affect agriculture in the economically and socially [...] Read more.
Understanding the interactions between shallow saline groundwater and surface water is crucial for managing water logging in deltaic islands. Water logging conditions result in the accumulation of salt in the root zone of crops and detrimentally affect agriculture in the economically and socially backward deltaic region of West Bengal and Bangladesh. In this paper, we undertook a modeling study of surface water–groundwater interactions in the Gosaba Island of Sundarbans region of the Ganges delta using MODFLOW followed by comprehensive parameter sensitivity analysis. Further, scenario analyses (i.e., no-drain, single drain, three drains) were undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of drainage infrastructure to reduce saline water logging conditions. The evaluation indicated that installation of three drains can remove water at a rate of up to −123.3 m3day−1 and lower the water table up to 0.4 m. The single drain management scenario could divert water at the rate of −77.9 m3day−1 during post monsoon season, lowering the shallow saline groundwater table up to 0.1 m. This preliminary modeling study shows encouraging results to consider drainage management as to solve the increasing challenge of water logging and salinity management in the deltaic region. The insights will be useful for farmers and policymakers in the region for planning various sustainable saline groundwater management. Building drainage infrastructure could potentially be part of initiatives like the national employment guarantee scheme in India. In the future, this model can be coupled with solute transport models for understanding the current status and future expansion of salinity in the study area. Further modeling and optimization analysis can help identify the optimal depth and spacing of drains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Groundwater Resource Development for Agriculture)
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10 pages, 3714 KiB  
Communication
Potential for Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) in South Bihar, India
by Somnath Bandyopadhyay, Aviram Sharma, Satiprasad Sahoo, Kishore Dhavala and Prabhakar Sharma
Sustainability 2021, 13(6), 3502; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063502 - 22 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3510
Abstract
Among the several options of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) techniques, the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a well-known sub-surface technique to replenish depleted aquifers, which is contingent upon the selection of appropriate sites. This paper explores the potential of ASR for groundwater [...] Read more.
Among the several options of managed aquifer recharge (MAR) techniques, the aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a well-known sub-surface technique to replenish depleted aquifers, which is contingent upon the selection of appropriate sites. This paper explores the potential of ASR for groundwater recharge in the hydrological, hydrogeological, social, and economic context of South Bihar in India. Based on the water samples from more than 137 wells and socio-economic surveys, ASR installations were piloted through seven selected entrepreneurial farmers in two villages of South Bihar. The feasibility of ASR in both hard rock and deep alluvial aquifers was demonstrated for the prominent aquifer types in the marginal alluvial plains of South Bihar and elsewhere. It was postulated through this pilot study that a successful spread of ASR in South Bihar can augment usable water resources for agriculture during the winter cropping season. More importantly, ASR can adapt to local circumstances and challenges under changing climatic conditions. The flexible and participatory approach in this pilot study also allowed the farmers to creatively engage with the design and governance aspects of the recharge pit. The entrepreneurial farmers-led model builds local accountability, creates avenues for private investments, and opens up the space for continued innovation in technology and management, while also committing to resource distributive justice and environmental sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Groundwater Resource Development for Agriculture)
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21 pages, 3623 KiB  
Article
Impact of Climate Change on Agricultural Development in a Closed Groundwater-Driven Basin: A Case Study of the Siwa Region, Western Desert of Egypt
by Noha H. Moghazy and Jagath J. Kaluarachchi
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1578; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031578 - 2 Feb 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4132
Abstract
The Siwa region located in the Western Desert of Egypt has 30,000 acres available for reclamation as a part of a national project to increase agricultural production. This study addressed the climate change-driven long-term concerns of developing an agricultural project in this region [...] Read more.
The Siwa region located in the Western Desert of Egypt has 30,000 acres available for reclamation as a part of a national project to increase agricultural production. This study addressed the climate change-driven long-term concerns of developing an agricultural project in this region where groundwater from the non-renewable Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) is the only source of water. Different climate models were used under two representative concentration pathways (RCPs); RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Projected seasonal temperatures show that the maximum increase in summer is 1.68 ± 1.64 °C in 2060 and 4.65 ± 1.82 °C in 2100 under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, respectively. The increase in water requirement for crops is estimated around 6–8.1% under RCP 4.5 while around 9.7–18.2% under RCP 8.5. Maximum reductions of strategic crop yields vary from 2.9% to 12.8% in 2060 under RCP 4.5, while from 10.4% to 27.4% in 2100 under RCP 8.5. Project goals are feasible until 2100 under RCP 4.5 but only until 2080 with RCP 8.5. When an optimization analysis was conducted, these goals are possible from 2080 to 2100 by modified land allocation. The proposed methodology is useful to project impact of climate change anywhere such that management and adaptation options can be proposed for sustainable agricultural development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Groundwater Resource Development for Agriculture)
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