Water management: A way to achieve a more efficient irrigation system

Abstract

The pressure of growing urbanization, industrialization and water scarcity resulting from climate change imposes limitations on the amount of water allocated to agriculture.There will need to be an increase in food production of almost 50% by 2030. This will be an enormous challenge, requiring a significant increase in irrigable land area in the forthcoming years. It is necessary to improve water 2 systems based on the knowledge that high efficiency can be achieved with less wateronly by the adoption of more effective water-management plans, especially in agriculture, which is the major consumer of this precious resource. Water management in agriculture has a dual task: improving both water networks and how treated wastewater is used and re-used. Farmer participation in wateradministration will play a key role in agricultural production growth. The paper highlights current concern regarding the management of water supply for irrigation from the River Arda in Piacenza province, Italy. The approach proposed by the Consorzio di Bonifica di Piacenza for the reduction of water loss in the irrigation network is the replacement of the traditional system of open canals with a new underground pipe system, to be available only for irrigation, in such a way that the hydrogeological structure of the territory would not be altered. The project's technical and economic feasibilitydepend on architectural quality and technical functionality. During the project phase tools and methods were also considered, seeking to involve techniques, materials and equipment that would make the pipe system less invasive and more affordable, efficient and manageable, not only regarding the final results, but also the project's development and construction stages, as well as its post-construction ordinary maintenance.