A model for regional optimal allocation of irrigation water resources under deficit irrigation and its applications

It is important to promote efficient use of water through better management of water resources, for social and economical sustainability in arid and semi-arid areas, under the conditions of severe water shortage. Based on the developments in deficit irrigation research, a recurrence control model for regional optimal allocation of irrigation water resources, aiming at overall maximum efficiency, is presented, with decomposition-harmonization principles of large systems. The model consists of three levels (layers). The first level involves dynamic programming (DP) for optimization of crop irrigation scheduling. The second level deals with optimal allocation of water resources among various crops. The last level concerns optimal allocation of water resources among different sub-regions. As a test, this model was applied to the combined optimal allocation of multiple water resources (surface, ground and in-take from the Weihe river) of Yangling, a semi-arid region on the Loess Plateau, China. Exemplary computation showed that not only are the results rational, but the method can also effectively overcome possible “dimensional obstacles” in dynamic programming of multiple dimensions. Furthermore, each sub-model is relatively independent by using various optimization methods. The model represents a new approach for improving irrigation efficiency, implementing water-saving irrigation, and solving the problem of water shortage in the region studied. The model can be extended in arid and semi-arid areas for better water management.