Water yield modeling in the watershed: a framework for sustainable water resources management

• Published in: Sustainable water resources management 2024-08, Vol.10 (4), p.148, Article 148
• Main Authors: Felegari, Marzieh, Sadr, Maryam Kiani, Abdollahi, Sedighe, Golkarian, Hamta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annual precipitation; Cropping systems; Development Economics; Drinking water; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Ecosystem management; Ecosystem services; Effectiveness; Evapotranspiration; Groundwater; Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Land use; Land use management; Land use planning; Linear programming; Livelihoods; Optimization; Original Article; Sustainability; Sustainable Development; Sustainable livelihood; Water; Water allocation; Water consumption; Water management; Water Policy/Water Governance/Water Management; Water requirements; Water resources; Water resources management; Water supply; Water yield; Watersheds
• ISSN: 2363-5037; 2363-5045
• DOI: 10.1007/s40899-024-01129-9

Water is a crucial strategic resource that greatly affects land use planning and ecosystem services. This study focuses on estimating the extractable water in the Qorveh-Dehgolan watershed in Iran using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. The model utilizes various input parameters such as average annual precipitation, evapotranspiration, land use map, and water consumption. The water yield was modeled for two time periods, 2010 and 2022. To optimize water allocation, a linear programming model (LPM) was applied considering different scenarios for cropping patterns and water requirements of crops. The findings reveal that the water supply in the entire watershed was 336,921,424 m 3 in 2010 and is projected to be 366,009,785 m 3 in 2022, indicating a difference of 30 million m 3 . Meanwhile, the annual water requirement for agriculture in the watershed is approximately 300 million m 3 , leaving an excess supply of 45 million m 3 (excluding drinking water and industry needs). Results of LPM indicated that net economic profit can increase up to 10.11% when groundwater consumption is reduced by 20% compared to current conditions. The results highlight the importance of optimizing cropping patterns based on water requirements for effective water management. By considering uncertainties and using a linear programming model, the optimization of cropping patterns can lead to more efficient water consumption and ensure sustainable livelihoods.