Is irrigation sustainable?

Abstract

In the present period to technological achievements it is very important to include into our considerations thoughts for future environmentally sound irrigation projects. The basis for that are impacts of irrigation on the environment. Irrigation projects affect the environment not only as engineering projects but they also bear health, social, cultural, aesthetic, and political aspects on the respective environment. These impacts are mostly positive; negative impacts do, however, also occur. There are many positive impacts of irrigation on the environment. Among the negative impacts which appear in the mentioned spheres prevalent impacts is the danger of waterlogging and salinization of soils and waters, rise in groundwater table, spread of water born diseases, pollution of waters and many others. The evaluation of realized and new planned projects using systems approach and mathematical modelling allow us to determine environmentally sound irrigation schemes and to answer positively the question, “Is irrigation sustainable?”. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.