Estimation of water consumption volume and water efficiency in irrigated and rainfed agriculture based on the WaPOR database in Iran

Abstract

ABSTRACT To evaluate the WaPOR model across the entire country of Iran, initially, 16 provinces located in four different climatic regions were selected for calculating and comparing the evapotranspiration using both the FAO-56 method and the WaPOR approach. The comparison of 10-day evapotranspiration values obtained from the FAO56 method and WaPOR demonstrates that the WaPOR model exhibits the highest correlation with FAO-56 values in semi-arid regions, with an R2 = 0.95 and an RMSE = 0.43. The analysis of evapotranspiration variations indicates that the evapotranspiration in the Caspian Sea and Zagros foothill regions has experienced more significant changes from 2015 to 2022. The annual analysis of net blue water productivity demonstrates that the net productivity in rainfed lands strongly depends on the precipitation received. Also, considering the importance of investigating the accuracy of biomass estimation, the correlation between the accuracy of biomass estimation and actual evapotranspiration was examined in four Iran climatic regions. Using the WaPOR model provides acceptable results for water consumption management and assessment in different regions and climates of Iran, particularly in agricultural lands. The WaPOR model can serve as a guide for determining reliable values of evapotranspiration and planning related to water resources in the agricultural sector in Iran.