Efficient Utilization of Water Resources in Ningxia Yellow River Irrigation Area Considering Water-Land Resource Balance

Abstract:

Aiming to comprehensively implement the water management concept of "prioritizing water conservation and spatial equilibrium", and support the coordinated development of water resource utilization and ecological security, taking Qingtongxia Helan County Irrigation Area in Ningxia as object, the potential direction of agricultural water conservation focusing on the two core constrains—the regional available water resources and the rationale groundwater depth required for ecological security was analyzed. By employing a water-land resources balance allocation model and setting ten scenarios, potential directions for advanced agricultural water-saving intensification were explored. The results indicated that the following measurement should be implemented to achieve spatially balanced development and synergistic agricultural water-saving, if implementing single water-saving measures: priority should be given to reducing rice planting area and controlled irrigation, followed by improving canal system water utilization efficiency and expanding high-efficiency water-saving irrigation area. The optimal control ranges for these measures were: rice planting reduction ratio should be controlled between 50% and 75% with the remaining area under controlled irrigation;canal system water utilization coefficient should be maintained at 0.64;regarding high-efficiency water-saving irrigation promotion, the area proportion in Yanghuang and Yellow River diversion regions should not exceed 80% and 35%, namely maintaining 28.48 km2 and 132.20 km2, respectively.