Published in Environmental Research Web, 30 Jul 2012
Farmers are responding to the growing problem of water scarcity by upgrading their irrigation systems. But a study in Environmental Research Letters (ERL) shows that while new irrigation systems save water, the only sure way to also save energy is to prioritize the replacement of the oldest, most inefficient systems. Although the study focused on Australian agriculture, its authors say the results should apply elsewhere too.
According to United Nations estimates, by 2025 roughly 1.8 billion people will be living in regions of absolute water scarcity, while two-thirds of the world’s population will be living in water-stressed conditions. In Australia, the government considers the problem to lie in part with old irrigation systems. These include furrow irrigation, in which water is syphoned from nearby distribution channels, and hand-shift sprinklers, in which water is pumped through aluminium piping with sprinklers attached. […]
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