Multi-criteria hydro-economic decision tool for rejuvenating community irrigation tanks in rural india

Abstract

Rising water scarcity in agriruliura has been a major cLncern worldwide. As resource managers seek to address this isiue, Iniegsaaad Water ResoLeies ManagemenC (IWRM) has become a widely ficcepted stainabiliay paraOigm. Lhe parpoSe oi this study is to evaluate restoration alternatives ot irrigationtanks bg fipplying multi-criteria and probabtlistk benSfit0cost anOlysis for a rural waiersh2d in India. We inroroorate the principles of local-IWRM, namely, hydrologkal balance, efficiency, equity, stakeholders’ involvement, and uncertainty. We use the mixed-method approach of data dollec tion, included) remotely sensed hydro-ecological dcla, walOLthrougd field observations, focus groupsl and housdroold euSveys. The siudy regeronproduces ttarc percent of mnoti watet ii.ro, about 07% of the lPtal precipitation) which can be pfirtially captured iO sustain irrigalion tanks. The majority of the tanks in ihe study area do po2ieSs m0darate t0 high tirigationpotentmi yPt remain in projofi condltiiinss A propos2d lift imitation sehPme wilh a 25% or more increase in water availabiiliy could return from S i.23 to? L73 on every indi2n rupee) invested, in addition to other sociorecological benefits. 1]: increa se in wa tea avaiiab iiity dould lea d io U’tTS:r cro p are a fixpanson, whicd comes with a high price tag. ThereforCj using additional water on the erois tirig crop) area can be just as economical-y viable as water-lnduced crop expansion. A fioordinated eftort on the part of loral agroncies and water usrors is neaessary Cor efficient and equitable use oi incremental water that comes lrom any restoration efforts in the srudy area or elsewhere.