Explaining the performance of irrigation communities in a water-scarce region

Abstract

Improving irrigation management is of relevant importance to ensure a sustainable use of resources in water-scarce areas. Among the actors involved in water management, irrigation communities (ICs) are key players. This work aims to identify which ICs attributes explain the observed variability in performance indicators (PI). To this end, panel data regression models have been applied using a 9-year data set of different indicators from five ICs in the Segura River Basin, south-east Spain. Our study indicates that a limited number of IC attributes—amount of supplied water, water delivery infrastructure, use of groundwater, water allocation method, size and price paid for energy of the IC—explain most of the variability of the PI considered in the study. From this PI approach, it appears that the evaluated ICs should preferably use an on-demand water allocation method, adopt size growing policies and collective action for energy purchase to obtain economies of scale and higher security in water provision to farms, and also to update irrigation systems. Furthermore, water distribution systems that require high energy demand should be used only when they permit to reduce irregularity and risks of shortage in water supply.