Potential Possibilities of Using Groundwater for Crop Irrigation in the Context of Climate Change

Abstract

The study analyzed the structure of water shortages in plant crops and the available groundwater resources that can be used to satisfy these needs. The research was carried out in Braniewo poviat, which can be considered representative of the conditions of Central and Eastern Europe. A clear upward trend in the temperature value was observed, which influenced the changes in the duration of thermal seasons and agricultural periods. It also increases the intensity of the evapotranspiration process, which results in the reduction of water resources. The presence of significant water shortages, especially in the cultivation of root crops, such as, for example, late potato or sugar beet, justifies the need to irrigate these plants. Due to unevenly distributed surface water resources, groundwater is used as a source of irrigation. It was found that in the case of many crops, the areas with the greatest water shortages were those with average or high abundance in available groundwater. When indicating the possibility of abstracting large amounts of groundwater for use in plant production in Braniewo poviat, one should consider the fact that, in the long term, their exploitation may cause negative environmental effects.

Evaluation of crop water status of melon plants in tropical semi-arid climate using thermal imaging

“…However, they are prone to droughts, and water shortages are a critical issue for sustainable agriculture. Thus, new management strategies are needed for improving irrigation water productivity to support continued production (Cymes et al, 2022).…”

The Use and Management of Agricultural Irrigation Systems and Technologies

“…In this category, this Special Issue includes the work of Cymes et al [1], which deals with the possibility of using infiltration intakes using wells that collect water from the first aquifer. This research was carried out in Braniewo poviat (Poland), which can be considered representative of the conditions of Central and Eastern Europe.…”

Recycled Wastewater Usage: A Comprehensive Review for Sustainability of Water Resources

“…Groundwater represents the largest store of available freshwater [18,19] and is more popular than other sources due to its reliable supply and ease of availability to individual farms [20][21][22]. Because of advancements in science and technology and subsequent improvements in drilling and pumping operations, groundwater irrigation has intensified globally since 1970 [20,23]. A rough estimate indicates that 43% of the total worldwide irrigated area, i.e., 301 million ha is irrigated using groundwater with an abstraction rate of 600 to 1100 km 3 per year [24][25][26].…”

“…To minimize the effects of groundwater depletion, alternative sources of water, including rainwater and recycled wastewater, must be made available to farmer's fields [29,30]. The rate of groundwater recharge in arid and semiarid regions is less; therefore, in the absence of alternative sources of water, groundwater withdrawals can exceed aquifer recharge and can result in serious degradation of water quality [23,25].…”