Abstract
AbstractUnderstanding water user behavior and its potential outcomes is important for the development of suitable water resource management options. Computational models are commonly used to assist water resource management decision making; however, while natural processes are increasingly well modeled, the inclusion of human behavior has lagged behind. Improved representation of irrigation water user behavior within models can provide more accurate and relevant information for irrigation management in the agricultural sector. This paper outlines a model that conceptualizes and proceduralizes observed farmer irrigation practices, highlighting impacts and interactions between the environment and behavior. It is developed using a bottom‐up approach, informed through field experience and farmer interaction in the state of Uttar Pradesh, northern India. Observed processes and dynamics were translated into parsimonious algorithms, which represent field conditions and provide a tool for policy analysis and water management. The modeling framework is applied to four districts in Uttar Pradesh and used to evaluate the potential impact of changes in climate and irrigation behavior on water resources and farmer livelihood. Results suggest changes in water user behavior could have a greater impact on water resources, crop yields, and farmer income than changes in future climate. In addition, increased abstraction may be sustainable but its viability varies across the study region. By simulating the feedbacks and interactions between the behavior of water users, irrigation officials and agricultural practices, this work highlights the importance of directly including water user behavior in policy making and operational tools to achieve water and livelihood security.
Highlights
Water resources face unprecedented challenges due to population growth and changing lifestyles, exacerbated by variations in climate, including more frequent extreme weather events (Famiglietti, 2014; Moors et al, 2011; Schewe et al, 2014)
This paper explores the integration of water user behavior in a sociohydrological modeling framework in order to simulate the feedbacks between anthropogenic and environmental variables
This paper describes the development of a modeling framework, which directly includes water user behavior through a set of built in rules
Summary
Water resources face unprecedented challenges due to population growth and changing lifestyles, exacerbated by variations in climate, including more frequent extreme weather events (Famiglietti, 2014; Moors et al, 2011; Schewe et al, 2014). Inclusion of water end user behavior in planning and management of water resources has to date largely been neglected in research and model development (Nazemi & Wheater, 2015). This leads to an incomplete understanding of the problems and challenges facing communities and may result in poorly conceived water management strategies. Incorporating users’ behavior in water resource modeling could improve water resource management and enhanced resilience under changing conditions This is the central premise of the Panta Rhei initiative of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, which aims to reach an improved understanding of the water cycle by focusing on the interactions and feedbacks between hydrology and society (Montanari et al, 2013)
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