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16 - River Basin Management and Irrigation

from Part IV - Response

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 September 2021

Jurgen Schmandt
Affiliation:
Houston Advanced Research Center
Aysegül Kibaroglu
Affiliation:
MEF University, Istanbul
Regina Buono
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
Sephra Thomas
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Austin
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Summary

This chapter discusses both the role of irrigation in river basin development and closure and how its share in total water use can be reduced. It first briefly outlines the importance of unchecked irrigation development in the growing share of water consumption and the closure process of the basins examined in this volume. This understanding of how irrigation came to play a peculiar role in river basin development is important for discussing how its share can be reduced. The chapter recalls the diversity of policy options available to respond to imbalances between supply and demand and that supply augmentation is generally favored. Finally, the chapter focuses on the issue of "water savings," documenting various responses by the irrigated sector to shortages and exploring how policies to modernize irrigation technologies may inadvertently contribute to enhancing evapotranspiration and therefore undermine purported conservation objectives.

Type
Chapter
Information
Sustainability of Engineered Rivers In Arid Lands
Challenge and Response
, pp. 235 - 245
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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