Irrigation Ponds Research Articles

Traditional land use effects on nutrient export from watersheds to coastal seas

Land use features can have a significant impact on the flux and stoichiometry of nutrients from the watershed to the sea along the freshwater continuum. Traditional agricultural watersheds designated as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) may have unique features on nutrient dynamics. Here, we conducted seasonal, high-resolution spatial surveys for concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and nitrogen (DIN) and stable isotopes of water and nitrate of the GIAHS in Japan (Kunisaki Peninsula). The highest upstream DIN concentrations (mean = 83 μM) were observed in the non-irrigation period in autumn. 17O isotopes of nitrate suggested that microbial nitrification in forest soil was the primary source (> 95%) of total nitrate. Spatial differences in DIP and DIN concentrations among the upstream, midstream, and downstream waters were small, with high DIN/DIP ratios (> 50) were exported from the watershed to coastal seas. Nutrient concentrations exhibited different dynamics during summer when irrigation was taking place with average DIP concentrations increasing from upstream (0.5 μM) to downstream (2.1 μM) waters. A generalized linear model showed that the proportion of paddy fields, cultivated land, residential area as well as forest were the primary drivers of DIP concentrations. DIN concentrations decreased moving downstream likely due to denitrification in the anaerobic irrigation ponds and paddy fields. This study showed that the traditional agricultural landscapes mitigated the excess DIN loading from forested areas while supplying the essential DIP for coastal production, suggesting an important forest-river-sea connection system that manages nutrient inputs to coastal waters.

Assessment model of water harvesting and storage location using GIS and remote sensing in Al-Qadisiyah, Iraq

One of the important steps towards optimizing land productivity and water availability for the semi-arid and arid areas is the identification of potential sites for water harvesting. Therefore, this paper uses the Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques to select the optimized sites for water harvesting in Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, Iraq. Geographic water management capabilities are applied as a spatial analysis model. Data from global data repositories are retrieved followed by rescaling them to a spatial resolution to acquire a manageable input data set. The Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) model is used to calculate the potential runoff as an intermediate input. Multi-Criteria Evaluation techniques are adopted to identify the relative importance and suitability levels of the input parameters set to manage the water supply. The suitability for identifying irrigation pond and dam location(s) was considered in this study. To achieve this goal, the criteria for eligibility for water harvesting areas have been completed on the basis of the conditions in the study methods. Based on the hydrological and geomorphological standards of the study area, suitable sites for harvest areas were identified and it was divided into four classes in terms of their suitability for water harvesting, namely very low, low, moderate, and high suitable for water harvesting. It can be concluded that the findings of this research can be used to assist in water resources management as an efficient planning tool to ensure sustainable development of the water in Iraq who suffers from water shortages.

Intraseasonal variation of phycocyanin concentrations and environmental covariates in two agricultural irrigation ponds in Maryland, USA.

Recently, cyanobacteria blooms have become a concern for agricultural irrigation water quality. Numerous studies have shown that cyanotoxins from these harmful algal blooms (HABs) can be transported to and assimilated into crops when present in irrigation waters. Phycocyanin is a pigment known only to occur in cyanobacteria and is often used to indicate cyanobacteria presence in waters. The objective of this work was to identify the most influential environmental covariates affecting the phycocyanin concentrations in agricultural irrigation ponds that experience cyanobacteria blooms of the potentially toxigenic species Microcystis and Aphanizomenon using machine learning methodology. The study was performed at two agricultural irrigation ponds over a 5-month period in the summer of 2018. Phycocyanin concentrations, along with sensor-based and fluorometer-based water quality parameters including turbidity (NTU), pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM), conductivity, chlorophyll, color dissolved organic matter (CDOM), and extracted chlorophyll were measured. Regression tree analyses were used to determine the most influential water quality parameters on phycocyanin concentrations. Nearshore sampling locations had higher phycocyanin concentrations than interior sampling locations and "zones" of consistently higher concentrations of phycocyanin were found in both ponds. The regression tree analyses indicated extracted chlorophyll, CDOM, and NTU were the three most influential parameters on phycocyanin concentrations. This study indicates that sensor-based and fluorometer-based water quality parameters could be useful to identify spatial patterns of phycocyanin concentrations and therefore, cyanobacteria blooms, in agricultural irrigation ponds and potentially other water bodies.

Ponds support higher bird diversity than rice paddies in a hilly agricultural area in Japan

The aim of the present study was to evaluate bird diversity (richness, abundance, and community composition) in three types of artificial wetlands (rice paddies, carp aquaculture ponds, and farm ponds for irrigation) while considering bird habitat groups and seasons and to reveal the environmental characteristics of wetlands (e.g. wetland type, water depth, and vegetation cover) associated with bird richness and abundance. Bird and environmental characteristics were surveyed in 30 sites (10 sites per wetland type) in the hilly agricultural area of central Japan, considering four bird groups (open-land, wetland, bush, and woodland) and three seasons (breeding, migrating, and wintering). Bird richness of each group was the highest in farm ponds, followed by carp ponds and then rice paddies, throughout the year, except for bush and woodland species. Abundance levels of open-land, woodland, and total species were significantly higher in farm ponds than in rice paddies and carp ponds in the wintering season (and also in migrating season for open-land species). Effects of wetland type, wetland area, vegetation cover on water surface, and slope of bank to bird species and abundance differed among bird groups. There were no differences in community compositions among wetland types, although significant differences were apparent among seasons. Therefore, for bird diversity conservation in hilly agricultural areas, (1) various wetland types creating a spatial–temporal heterogeneity of environments is important, (2) preserving ponds rather than rice paddies would be effective, and (3) steeper slopes and richer vegetation cover on water surfaces should be considered for waterbirds.

Native Growth and Conservation of Duckweed (Lemnaceae) in Jordan

Duckweeds are the world's smallest flowering plants. Its existence is affected by the water quality and availability. The increased water demand and water scarcity in most of the Mediterranean countries as Jordan have caused remarkable lowering in the water-table which reduced floods and disappearance of the seasonal lakes. Due to this, aquatic plants that grow on good quality of fresh water have disappeared totally. Therefore, this paper highlights the native growth and conservation of duckweed (Lemnaceae) in Jordan. It also focuses on the identification of water sources for duckweed's movement. Field surveys were conducted to identify water source for water bodies that contain duckweeds. These surveys included visits to the Zarqa river, dams, irrigation ponds and Jordan valley. The source of water for duckweed movement and availability was determined. Water samples from the targeted areas were analyzed for selected parameters as pH, EC, NO3, PO4, BOD5, Zn, Pb, Cd and Cu. The results showed that King Abdullah Canal and Zarqa river are the water sources that encourage the duckweeds growth. In Sukhnah, Jerash and Jordan valley areas, water analysis ranges (mg L-1) are: NO3 0.7-38, PO4 0.3-7.6 and BOD5 0-20. The pH range value is 7.1-8.1 and EC range value is 1.62-2.5 mS cm-1.The heavy metals values are, Zn is <0.02 mg L-1, Pb is <0.01 mg L-1, Cd is <0.002 mg L-1 and Cu is <0.01 mg L-1. It can be concluded that mitigation measures are highly needed to overcome and altering the quality of the natural water flowing and participation of governmental institutions is also required for the success of applying mitigation measures to preserve the aquatic plants.

Contribution of Irrigation Ponds to the Sustainability of Agriculture. A Review of Worldwide Research

The use of irrigation ponds has proved to be an efficient alternative for increasing the availability and quality of water resources for irrigation and contributing to the sustainability of agriculture. This article analyses the dynamics of worldwide research on this topic over the last two decades. To do this, a review including a qualitative systematic analysis and a quantitative bibliometric analysis was carried out on a sample of 951 articles. The results reveal that this line of research is becoming more relevant within agricultural research, particularly in recent years. The research in this topic has focused on the sustainable development of vulnerable regions, the contribution to the agronomic improvement of crops and farms, environmental impact assessment, the joint management of water resources, the restoration of groundwater bodies, and the use of rainfall. Gaps have been found in the literature with respect to the capacity of irrigation ponds to cover the irrigation needs in different agricultural contexts, the perceptions and attitudes of farmers towards the use of irrigation ponds, and the economic–financial feasibility of these systems.

Combined impact of pesticides and other environmental stressors on animal diversity in irrigation ponds.

Rice paddy irrigation ponds can sustain surprisingly high taxonomic richness and make significant contributions to regional biodiversity. We evaluated the impacts of pesticides and other environmental stressors (including eutrophication, decreased macrophyte coverage, physical habitat destruction, and invasive alien species) on the taxonomic richness of freshwater animals in 21 irrigation ponds in Japan. We sampled a wide range of freshwater animals (reptiles, amphibians, fishes, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, annelids, bryozoans, and sponges) and surveyed environmental variables related to pesticide contamination and other stressors listed above. Statistical analyses comprised contraction of highly correlated environmental variables, best-subset model selection, stepwise model selection, and permutation tests. Results showed that: (i) probenazole (fungicide) was a significant stressor on fish (i.e., contamination with this compound had a significantly negative correlation with fish taxonomic richness), (ii) the interaction of BPMC (insecticide; also known as fenobucarb) and bluegill (invasive alien fish) was a significant stressor on a "large insect" category (Coleoptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Odonata, and Trichoptera), (iii) the interaction of BPMC and concrete bank protection was a significant stressor on an "invertebrate" category, (iv) the combined impacts of BPMC and the other stressors on the invertebrate and large insect categories resulted in an estimated mean loss of taxonomic richness by 15% and 77%, respectively, in comparison with a hypothetical pond with preferable conditions.

Review of Research on Irrigation Pond Damage due to Heavy Rain and Related Disaster Prevention Countermeasures in Japan

Review of Research on Irrigation Pond Damage due to Heavy Rain and Related Disaster Prevention Countermeasures in Japan

Species Diversity and Community Characteristics of Benthic Macroinvertebrates from Irrigation Ponds in the Western CCZ area, Korea.

Species Diversity and Community Characteristics of Benthic Macroinvertebrates from Irrigation Ponds in the Western CCZ area, Korea.

Assessment In Situ Measurements In Monitoring Water Quality Status Of Lake Aygır, Bitlis

In this study, analyzes were carried out monthly between May 2015 and May 2016 from the Aygır Lake and the irrigation pond for examining its water quality change and management. In situ measurements were found as average water temperature 9.9±0.5 C, pH 8.14±0.00, dissolved oxygen 8.1±0.4 mg/L, oxygen saturation % 76.6±2.4, EC 353.1±4.1, SPC 435.0±4.5 μS/cm, TDS 0.2881±0.0026 g/L, turbidity 0.6±0.1 NTU and transparency 5.8±0.7 m. In terms of in situ measurements, Aygır Lake is not polluted and is suitable for drinking, usage, fishery and irrigation.

Hyperspectral Imaging from a Multipurpose Floating Platform to Estimate Chlorophyll-a Concentrations in Irrigation Pond Water

This study provides detailed information about the use of a hyperspectral imaging system mounted on a motor-driven multipurpose floating platform (MFP) for water quality sensing and water sampling, including the spatial and spectral calibration for the camera, image acquisition and correction procedures. To evaluate chlorophyll-a concentrations in an irrigation pond, visible/near-infrared hyperspectral images of the water were acquired as the MFP traveled to ten water sampling locations along the length of the pond, and dimensionality reduction with correlation analysis was performed to relate the image data to the measured chlorophyll-a data. About 80,000 sample images were acquired by the line-scan method. Image processing was used to remove sun-glint areas present in the raw hyperspectral images before further analysis was conducted by principal component analysis (PCA) to extract three key wavelengths (662 nm, 702 nm, and 752 nm) for detecting chlorophyll-a in irrigation water. Spectral intensities at the key wavelengths were used as inputs to two near-infrared (NIR)-red models. The determination coefficients (R2) of the two models were found to be about 0.83 and 0.81. The results show that hyperspectral imagery from low heights can provide valuable information about water quality in a fresh water source.

Detection of Phytophthora capsici in Irrigation Water using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification.

Phytophthora capsici is a devastating oomycete pathogen that affects many important solanaceous and cucurbit crops causing significant economic losses in vegetable production annually. Phytophthora capsici is soil-borne and a persistent problem in vegetable fields due to its long-lived survival structures (oospores and chlamydospores) that resist weathering and degradation. The main method of dispersal is through the production of zoospores, which are single-celled, flagellated spores that can swim through thin films of water present on surfaces or in water-filled soil pores and can accumulate in puddles and ponds. Therefore, irrigation ponds can be a source of the pathogen and initial points of disease outbreaks. Detection of P. capsici in irrigation water is difficult using traditional culture-based methods because other microorganisms present in the environment, such as Pythium spp., usually overgrow P. capsici making it undetectable. To determine the presence of P. capsici spores in water sources (irrigation water, runoff, etc.), we developed a hand pump-based filter paper (8-10 µm) method that captures the pathogen's spores (zoospores) and is later used to amplify the pathogen's DNA through a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay designed for the specific amplification of P. capsici. This method can amplify and detect DNA from a concentration as low as 1.2 x 102 zoospores/mL, which is 40 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. No cross-amplification was obtained when testing closely related species. LAMP was also performed using a colorimetric LAMP master mix dye, displaying results that could be read with the naked eye for on-site rapid detection. This protocol could be adapted to other pathogens that reside, accumulate, or are dispersed via contaminated irrigation systems.

Accounting for the Three-Dimensional Distribution of Escherichia coli Concentrations in Pond Water in Simulations of the Microbial Quality of Water Withdrawn for Irrigation

Evaluating the microbial quality of irrigation water is essential for the prevention of foodborne illnesses. Generic Escherichia coli (E. coli) is used as an indicator organism to estimate the microbial quality of irrigation water. Monitoring E. coli concentrations in irrigation water sources is commonly performed using water samples taken from a single depth. Vertical gradients of E. coli concentrations are typically not measured or are ignored; however, E. coli concentrations in water bodies can be expected to have horizontal and vertical gradients. The objective of this work was to research 3D distributions of E. coli concentrations in an irrigation pond in Maryland and to estimate the dynamics of E. coli concentrations at the water intake during the irrigation event using hydrodynamic modeling in silico. The study pond is about 22 m wide and 200 m long, with an average depth of 1.5 m. Three transects sampled at 50-cm depth intervals, along with intensive nearshore sampling, were used to develop the initial concentration distribution for the application of the environmental fluid dynamic code (EFDC) model. An eight-hour irrigation event was simulated using on-site data on the wind speed and direction. Substantial vertical and horizontal variations in E. coli concentrations translated into temporally varying concentrations at the intake. Additional simulations showed that the E. coli concentrations at the intake reflect the 3D distribution of E. coli in the limited pond section close to the intake. The 3D sampling revealed E. coli concentration hot spots at different depths across the pond. Measured and simulated 3D E. coli concentrations provide improved insights into the expected microbial water quality of irrigation water compared with 1D or 2D representations of the spatial variability of the indicator concentration.

Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. in greywater reuse systems and pond water used for agricultural irrigation in the West Bank, Palestinian Territories

Treating and reusing greywater for agricultural irrigation is becoming increasingly prevalent in water-scarce regions such as the Middle East. However, the potential for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to be introduced into food systems or the environment via greywater reuse is a potential area of concern. It is known that off-grid treated greywater often has elevated levels of bacteria, however, little is known regarding the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in this water source. To address this knowledge gap, samples (n = 61) of off-grid, household greywater (influent), treated greywater effluent, and irrigation pond water were collected between October 2017 and June 2018 from four farms in the West Bank, Palestinian Territories. Samples were tested for pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, and oxidation reduction potential. Standard membrane filtration was used to enumerate presumptive Escherichia coli, and isolates (n = 88) were purified, confirmed using 16S rRNA sequencing, and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing using microbroth dilution. The majority of influent (76.5%) and effluent (70.6%) samples had detectable presumptive E. coli. Interestingly, the majority of the isolates were confirmed as Klebsiella sp. (n = 37), followed by E. coli (n = 32), and the remainder were classified as other Enterobacteriaceae (n = 19). A higher percentage of effluent isolates were fully susceptible to all tested antibiotics when compared to influent isolates (28.6% vs 18.6%). Resistance was most commonly observed against ampicillin (69.3% of all isolates), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (11.4%), tetracycline (9.1%), and cefazolin (7.9%), and 7.9% of isolates were observed to be multidrug-resistant. While most water quality parameters were within Israeli and Palestinian wastewater reuse requirements, E. coli levels in effluent violated available standards. These findings suggest that, despite observed decreases in bacteria and an overall decrease in isolates expressing antibiotic resistance from influent to effluent, off-grid greywater treatment systems are still a potential source of both susceptible and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the agricultural environment.

Development of a land suitability model for citrus cultivation using GIS and multi-criteria assessment techniques in Antalya province of Turkey

Abstract Location selection for citrus orchards is an important topic in terms of sustainable agriculture policies, agricultural planning, and community. This study presents a model to evaluate land suitability for cultivation of citrus in Antalya Province of Turkey. The aim of this study is to provide a Geographical Information System-Multi Criteria Evaluation based spatial decision support system, taking into account the viewpoints of local citrus growers and experts. 13 exclusion criteria, 3 main evaluation criteria (13 sub-criteria), and 52 value ranges were determined for citrus land suitability analysis. Analytic Hierarchy Process was utilised to calculate the weights of evaluation criteria. Inverse Distance Weighting interpolation approach was used to estimate the values of meteorological parameters. Thematic maps were presented for each of the criteria and final suitability map was prepared using Weighted Overlay method in Geographic Information System environment. The final suitability thematic map showed that the suitable zones (1281.19 km2) for citrus cultivation were located in the coastal regions of Antalya province. The average temperature in the winter season was determined to be the most important sub-criteria for citrus cultivation, followed by elevation, the average temperature in the flowering period, land use capability, daily average sunshine time, annual average precipitation, proximity to irrigation ponds and dam lakes and others. Most of the cultivated citrus orchards often coincided with the appropriate sites presented as a result of the study, and most of these sites were generally classified as high and moderate suitable zones. This study will be an important and useful regional guideline in terms of agricultural land use planning, citrus orchards management and community.

Optimization of bund wall height and trigger depth for re‐irrigation in paddy field by deepwater ponding irrigation treatment

AbstractThis study develops two models and an algorithm to determine the optimal bund wall height of the paddy field and the trigger depth for re‐irrigation, considering the benefits and costs of the transformation from shallow intermittent irrigation treatment to deepwater ponding irrigation. The models and algorithms are composed of: (i) a hydrologic model for ponding depth simulation in a paddy field; (ii) an optimization model for height design and depth determination in deepwater ponding irrigation; (iii) a real‐coded genetic algorithm for solving the optimization model. The results show that the optimal bund wall height of the paddy field is 27.7 cm and the optimal discount ratio of re‐irrigation depth (i.e. trigger depth divided by the upper limit of ponding depth) is 0.008 in Taiwan, with a unit net benefit of US$18 500 ha¯¹. During the first crop‐growing season (January to May) and the second (June to October), the benefit of groundwater recharge, flood mitigation, saved irrigation quantity and income of paddy rice of deepwater ponding irrigation is increased by 73, 13, 53 and 25% than those of shallow intermittent irrigation treatment, respectively. Furthermore, the total benefit of the second season is 16% better than that of the first. © 2020 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Identification and Mapping of Wetland Plants in Erzurum

The study aimed to determine the wetlands and the flora of the wetlands within the provincial borders of Erzurum. The study was conducted mainly in the running water (river, stream) in addition to the temporary wetlands, marshy lakes, and high-water table areas. The wetlands plants were identified after collecting 287 samples in the 6 main locations, and herbariums of 110 plants were formed. As a result of the evaluations, 96 species belonging to 41 families were identified. Among these plants, 29 families were identified in Karasu location, 25 families in Serçeme location, 22 families in the Aras location, 19 families in Oltu location, 28 families in Tortum location and 23 families in Çoruh location. It was determined in the field studies that climate and altitude constitute significant limiting factors for the species diversity. The aquatic plants were observed in the still waters or slowly flowing waters, no plant was observed in the fast-flowing water and irrigation ponds. It was also observed in this study that wetlands are an important habitat not only for flora but also for fauna. It is thought that the study results can be used in both landscape design and landscape planning studies.

Assessment of Shoreline Changes using Historical Satellite Images and Geospatial Analysis along the Lake Salda in Turkey

This study was performed along the shorelines of Lake Salda in Turkey during the elapsed period from 1975 to 2019 in order to detect shoreline changes. Within this framework, geographic information system, digital shoreline analysis system, Modified Normalized Difference Water Index, and multi-temporal satellite images were utilized. The measurement of shoreline displacement was mainly divided into six analysis regions. In digital shoreline analysis system, several statistical parameters such as end point rate, linear regression rate, shoreline change envelope, and net shoreline movement were computed to measure the rates of shoreline displacement in terms of erosion and accretion. The maximum shoreline change between 1975 and 2019 was determined as 556.45 m by shoreline change envelope parameter. The maximum shoreline change was 16.35 m/year by end point rate parameter and 12.91 m/year by linear regression rate parameter. While erosion has been observed in 3rd, 4th and 6th segments, accretion has been observed in other segments. When all the transects were taken into consideration, an accretion observed. The results indicate that there is a decrease in area of the lake. Experiment results show that integrated use of multi-temporal satellite images and statistical parameters are very effective and useful for shoreline change analysis. It is thought that the structures such as irrigation pond and dam that are built on the streams that recharge the lake and average rainfall and average temperature conditions are the main reasons of the fluctuations and changes in the shorelines.

Fungi and Oomycetes in the Irrigation Water of Forest Nurseries

The aim of the present study was to assess fungal and oomycete communities in the irrigation water of forest nurseries, focusing on plant pathogens in the hope of getting a better understanding of potential pathogenic microorganisms and spreading routes in forest nurseries. The study sites were at Anykščiai, Dubrava, Kretinga and Trakai state forest nurseries in Lithuania. For the collection of microbial samples, at each nursery five 100-L water samples were collected from the irrigation ponds and filtered. Following DNA isolation from the irrigation water filtrate samples, these were individually amplified using ITS rDNA as a marker and subjected to PacBio high-throughput sequencing. Clustering in the SCATA pipeline and the taxonomic classification of 24,006 high-quality reads showed the presence of 1286 non-singleton taxa. Among those, 895 were representing fungi and oomycetes. The detected fungi were 57.3% Ascomycota, 38.1% Basidiomycota, 3.1% Chytridiomycota, 0.8% Mucoromycota and 0.7% Oomycota. The most common fungi were Malassezia restricta E. Guého, J. Guillot &amp; Midgley (20.1% of all high-quality fungal sequences), Pezizella discreta (P. Karst.) Dennis (10.8%) and Epicoccum nigrum Link (4.9%). The most common oomycetes were Phytopythium cf. citrinum (B. Paul) Abad, de Cock, Bala, Robideau, Lodhi &amp; Lévesque (0.4%), Phytophthora gallica T. Jung &amp; J. Nechwatal (0.05%) and Peronospora sp. 4248_322 (0.05%). The results demonstrated that the irrigation water used by forest nurseries was inhabited by a species-rich but largely site-specific communities of fungi. Plant pathogens were relatively rare, but, under suitable conditions, these can develop rapidly, spread efficiently through the irrigation system and be a threat to the production of high-quality tree seedlings.

＜水資源雑話 V＞ 渇水時の貯水池運用

＜水資源雑話 V＞ 渇水時の貯水池運用