Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm

Water delivery management in China’s irrigation districts has traditionally prioritized the main canal system, often overlooking the water-saving potential of the final canals and field irrigation, which offer substantial opportunities to enhance water use efficiency and conserve agricultural water...

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Main Authors: Siyuan Zhao, Jing Chen, Dan Chen, Zhaohui Luo, Bo Bi, Lan Lin, Xinhao Du, Yuanyuan Liu, Qibing Xia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/12/2987
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author Siyuan Zhao
Jing Chen
Dan Chen
Zhaohui Luo
Bo Bi
Lan Lin
Xinhao Du
Yuanyuan Liu
Qibing Xia
author_facet Siyuan Zhao
Jing Chen
Dan Chen
Zhaohui Luo
Bo Bi
Lan Lin
Xinhao Du
Yuanyuan Liu
Qibing Xia
author_sort Siyuan Zhao
collection DOAJ
description Water delivery management in China’s irrigation districts has traditionally prioritized the main canal system, often overlooking the water-saving potential of the final canals and field irrigation, which offer substantial opportunities to enhance water use efficiency and conserve agricultural water resources. This study summarizes and defines the integrated water management of final canals and field irrigation as terminal water management. An optimization method was developed to improve terminal water management, which includes optimizing irrigation quotas based on water balance and scheduling final canal water delivery to minimize seepage losses. A genetic algorithm was employed to solve the problem. The method was applied to the Hongjin irrigation district in Jiangsu Province, China. In 2020, paddy water management was observed, revealing that the irrigation amount for organic and traditional rice was 1113 mm and 956 mm, respectively. Conventional irrigation and water delivery practices have led to extensive drainage, significant rainwater wastage, and inefficient water use. The optimized irrigation quotas for organic and traditional rice resulted in water savings of 302.5 mm and 325.9 mm, respectively, compared to the 2020 monitored data. An irrigation event in early August during a 75% hydrological frequency year was selected as an example. With conventional scheduling, optimized final canal water delivery scheduling reduced the seepage losses from 6.3% to 4.6%, shortened the irrigation time from 17 h to 14 h, and stabilized canal flow rates. The proposed optimization method is a valuable tool for enhancing terminal water management and supporting better irrigation decisions in irrigation districts.
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spelling doaj-art-542e8f57947a436c82cbea433b01c3962025-08-20T02:01:05ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952024-12-011412298710.3390/agronomy14122987Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic AlgorithmSiyuan Zhao0Jing Chen1Dan Chen2Zhaohui Luo3Bo Bi4Lan Lin5Xinhao Du6Yuanyuan Liu7Qibing Xia8College of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, ChinaNational Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, Nanjing 210029, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaCollege of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, ChinaWater Bureau of Gaochun District, Nanjing 211300, ChinaWater Bureau of Gaochun District, Nanjing 211300, ChinaWater delivery management in China’s irrigation districts has traditionally prioritized the main canal system, often overlooking the water-saving potential of the final canals and field irrigation, which offer substantial opportunities to enhance water use efficiency and conserve agricultural water resources. This study summarizes and defines the integrated water management of final canals and field irrigation as terminal water management. An optimization method was developed to improve terminal water management, which includes optimizing irrigation quotas based on water balance and scheduling final canal water delivery to minimize seepage losses. A genetic algorithm was employed to solve the problem. The method was applied to the Hongjin irrigation district in Jiangsu Province, China. In 2020, paddy water management was observed, revealing that the irrigation amount for organic and traditional rice was 1113 mm and 956 mm, respectively. Conventional irrigation and water delivery practices have led to extensive drainage, significant rainwater wastage, and inefficient water use. The optimized irrigation quotas for organic and traditional rice resulted in water savings of 302.5 mm and 325.9 mm, respectively, compared to the 2020 monitored data. An irrigation event in early August during a 75% hydrological frequency year was selected as an example. With conventional scheduling, optimized final canal water delivery scheduling reduced the seepage losses from 6.3% to 4.6%, shortened the irrigation time from 17 h to 14 h, and stabilized canal flow rates. The proposed optimization method is a valuable tool for enhancing terminal water management and supporting better irrigation decisions in irrigation districts.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/12/2987terminal water managementoptimization methodwater balancegenetic algorithmirrigation quotafinal canal water delivery scheduling
spellingShingle Siyuan Zhao
Jing Chen
Dan Chen
Zhaohui Luo
Bo Bi
Lan Lin
Xinhao Du
Yuanyuan Liu
Qibing Xia
Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm
Agronomy
terminal water management
optimization method
water balance
genetic algorithm
irrigation quota
final canal water delivery scheduling
title Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm
title_full Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm
title_fullStr Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm
title_short Optimizing Terminal Water Management in Irrigation District Using Water Balance and Genetic Algorithm
title_sort optimizing terminal water management in irrigation district using water balance and genetic algorithm
topic terminal water management
optimization method
water balance
genetic algorithm
irrigation quota
final canal water delivery scheduling
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/14/12/2987
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