Managing the water balance of The Fayoum Depression,Egypt |
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| Authors: | W Wolters Nadi Selim Ghobrial H M Van Leeuwen M G Bos |
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| Institution: | (1) The Fayoum Water and Salt Balance Model Project, Egypt;(2) Present address: the International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement/ILRI, P.O. Box 45, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands;(3) The Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources in the Governorate of Fayoum, El Fayoum, Egypt |
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| Abstract: | A study of the water balances of The Fayoum irrigated lands and Lake Qarun was made to investigate the management of the irrigation
system and the efficiency of irrigation water use. The two water balances are strongly interrelated. The drainage flow to
Lake Qarun and the water level of the Lake are in delicate balance. A rise in Lake level causes the inundation of adjacent
land. Management of The Fayoum water balance assumes control over irrigation water flows, but this control has technical and
organizational limitations.
Also discussed is the influence of irrigation practices in The Fayoum on the water balance (e.g., the autumn flushing of fields
and farmers' preference for not irrigating at night in winter).
Notwithstanding a high overall efficiency, irrigation efficiency during the winter is low. The reasons for this are given,
together with the constraints against improving system management.
Improved uniformity of the division and application of irrigation water will enable a better technical control of flows and
will result in better water management in The Fayoum.
Abbreviations: FID — Fayoum Irrigation Department, 1 feddan (fe) — 0.4 ha, 1 mcm — 1 million cubic metres: an average annual flow of 3.17
m3/s gives 100 mcm, m3/fe.year — supplied volume (m3) per surface area (fe) per year: 1000 m3/fe.year equals 240 mm/year, MSL — Mean Sea Level |
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| Keywords: | water balance water management irrigation efficiency re-use irrigation drainage |
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