Optimization of Irrigation Systems and Ecological Assessment: A Case Study of Andijan Region, with a Forecast to 2032
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66901/3xx5rd44Keywords:
irrigation system, ecological assessment, hydromodule, canal efficiency coefficient, water-use coefficient, Andijan region, water resources management, forecasting, DPSIR framework.Abstract
Abstract. This article presents a comprehensive assessment of the economic and ecological efficiency of irrigation-system optimization in Andijan region, Uzbekistan. Key hydro-technical indicators — hydromodule, drainage modulus, irrigation rate, canal efficiency coefficient (CEC), and water-use coefficient (WUC) — were evaluated using statistical and regression analysis. Irrigation norms for six crop types were compared against the national average and across 13 administrative regions. A power-law regression model (Q = 92.453H^0.5328, R² = 0.9975) was derived from field hydro-post certification data to describe the discharge-water-level relationship. Soil salinity (EC) and groundwater-table monitoring across all 14 districts of the region were used to assess ecological impacts within a DPSIR framework. Based on identified modernization trends, a 2026-2032 forecast projects an increase in the overall CEC from 0.65 to 0.80 and a corresponding reduction in conveyance losses from 35% to 20%. The findings confirm that canal lining, installation of metering devices, and rotational irrigation scheduling can reduce water losses by 10-35%, substantially mitigating soil salinization and groundwater-table rise.
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