Potential use of water saved with technification of gravity irrigation in non-agricultural sectors

Resumen

Objective: To analyze conceptually the potential use of water that the technification of gravity irrigation allows in saving and generating alternatives of use according to the extrapolation of volumes, both in the agricultural sector or outside of it.

Design/methodology/approach: The Modernized Gravity Irrigation Program (RIGRAT) will be evaluated, by measuring the volumes of irrigation used in the Irrigation Districts (ID) 075 Río Fuerte, 076 Valle del Carrizo, and 063 Guasave, Sinaloa, during the 2015-2018 agricultural cycles. The measured and statistical data are integrated for the analysis of volumes saved by the program and its national statistical projection.

Results: The volume saved in the ID 075 was 2,401.02 thousand m³ (2.4 hm³) in 6,114.5 ha under technification of the RIGRAT program. The volume of water saved on that surface represents 10% of the water used by the industrial sector of Sinaloa. It is inferred that the modernization of the ID 075 Río Fuerte in the planted area of 289,780 ha, would imply a saving of 40% of the water that can be used in urban areas of Sinaloa. In the same agricultural sector, it would be possible to save a volume of 187 thousand m³, which represents 6.4% of the water used by the irrigation district at plot level.

Limitations on study/implications: Current regulations do not allow the transfer of water volume in its different uses, with the aim of optimizing the value of water.

Findings/conclusions: With actions implemented in the RIGRAT program, water saving is achieved at the farm level and there would be a great impact, since agriculture is the main consumer of water and there could be volumes saved to be used in other sectors.