Improving water‐use efficiency for Ictalurid catfish pond aquaculture in Northwest Mississippi,USA |
| |
| Authors: | Craig S Tucker Jonathan W Pote Charles L Wax Travis W Brown |
| |
| Institution: | 1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, USA;2. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA;3. Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | We used a 50‐year (1961–2010) daily record of precipitation and evaporation in a hydrological model to simulate ground water withdrawal for the foodfish grow‐out phase of ictalurid catfish culture in northwest Mississippi, USA. The model quantified the effects of seepage, reusing water for multiple years, and managing water levels to capture rainfall (drop‐fill water management). Selecting sites with relatively impervious soils and reusing water for multiple years had large impacts on annual water use, and combining those practices with drop‐fill water management reduced simulated groundwater withdrawal to less than 60 cm year?1 compared with more than 450 cm year?1 for the least conservative scenario. Water conservation measures reduced estimated costs of pumping ground water from ~$1150 ha?1 year?1 for the least conservative set of water‐use variables to less than $110 ha?1 year?1 for the best set of water conservation practices. Efficiency of pumped water use was dramatically improved by intensifying production in the foodfish grow‐out phase. Combining water‐conservation practices with production intensification improved the water use index from 9.18 m3 kg?1 for foodfish grow‐out ponds with the least conservative set of practices to 0.28 m3 kg?1 for ponds built on soils with negligible seepage, managed with a 22.9‐cm drop/7.6‐cm fill, drained every 10 years, and producing 15 000 kg of catfish ha?1 year?1. When simulated ground water use for the best set of water conservation practices in foodfish grow‐out ponds was combined with estimates of ground water used for fingerling production and water used in producing grain‐based feedstuffs, total consumptive water use index for catfish culture was estimated at ~2.7 m3 kg?1. This index is competitive with most other types of animal agriculture. Efficient water use in catfish farming is easily achieved under commercial conditions using existing simple technologies. |
| |
| Keywords: | aquaculture water conservation water use pond aquaculture channel catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
|
|
|
