A market-based mechanism for long-term groundwater management using remotely sensed data

Area of Science:

• Hydrology and Agricultural Economics
• Water Resource Management
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Groundwater markets can enhance agricultural economies by reallocating water rights to more efficient users.
• Assessing environmental impacts and accurately monitoring water consumption are crucial for effective groundwater market design.
• Overexploitation of groundwater is a significant issue in arid and semi-arid regions, necessitating sustainable management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate three annual smart groundwater market mechanisms for maximizing water net benefits and minimizing groundwater withdrawal.
• To implement precise methods for monitoring water consumption in agricultural fields within the proposed market framework.
• To ensure the long-term sustainability of aquifers by controlling groundwater table drawdown.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a groundwater simulation model (Groundwater Modeling System - GMS) to manage aquifer drawdown.
• Employed the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) and Mapping Evapo Transpiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) algorithms to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) and net groundwater consumption.
• Validated algorithm performance using lysimeter data and applied the framework to the Nough plain in Iran.

Main Results:

• The proposed market mechanisms recovered approximately 80% (23.33 million cubic meters) of groundwater loss due to overexploitation.
• Annual benefits for water users increased by 10.6% compared to non-market conditions.
• The METRIC model demonstrated higher accuracy in estimating daily crop ET than the SEBAL model, with specific error metrics provided.

Conclusions:

• The developed smart groundwater market framework is effective in reallocating water entitlements and improving water productivity in arid and semi-arid regions.
• Accurate monitoring of water consumption through ET estimation algorithms is vital for successful groundwater market operation.
• The study highlights the potential of market-based approaches, supported by robust modeling and monitoring, for sustainable groundwater management.