Abstract
Water shortage is a serious problem in most countries in theMiddle East. Irrigation water consumes about three-fourths of theavailable fresh water resources in Jordam and many othercountries in the region. This article presents a practical approachto manage and optimize the irrigation water use in the region.The ultimate objective is to minimize the outside water and tomanage the irrigation water use under geographic,socio-economic, and demographic constraints. This approach usesthe added value (net revenue) of one cubic meter of waterconcept in evaluating different irrigation water use management.This concept has been demonstrated, based on a case study in theJordan Valley.This case study shows that water scarcity can be incorporated inirrigation water management by proper choice of crops andfarming patters. The objective function is to maximize the netrevenue from the agricultural production process subjected tolimitation on water and other production and marketing factors.Results of analysis showed that a net water saving of about9%occurred if the objective function is to minimize water useunder the same level of profitability. This example shall beuseful for water and agricultural planners. Sometimes virtualwater is widely exported in form of crops that consumes largeamounts of water without full economic consideration to theadded value of water. In some cases, food imports may be afeasible option in water-poor countries instead of water import.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al-Weshah, R. A.: 1999, 'Jordan's Water Resources Technical Perspective', Proceedings of the Fourth Gulf Water Conference, Water Science and Technology Association, Bahrain.
Al-Weshah, R. A. and Shatanawi, M. R.: 1996, 'Rainfall Forecasts and Irrigation Demands: A Case Study from the Jordan Valley', Proceedings of the Irrigation Research in the Mediterranean Region, Amman.
Clarke, R.: 1991, Water The International Crisis, London, Earthscan Publications LTD.
Gleick, P.: 1993, Water in Crisis, Oxford University Press.
JVA (Jordan Valley Authority): 1996, Annual Report, Amman, Jordan (in Arabic).
Naff, T. and Matzon, R.: 1984, Water in the Middle East: Conflict or Cooperation, Boulder and London, Westview Press.
Nasr, R. E. and Al-Weshah, R. A.: 1993, 'Optimizing the IrrigationWater Use for Vegetable Production in the Jordan Valley: A Case Study', Proceedings of the International Symposium on Water Resources in the Middle East, IWRA Publication.
The National Geographic: 1993, May, Vol. 183, No.5, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, pp. 38–71.
The PRIDE Project, 'A Water Management Study for Jordan' PRIDE Technical Report # 4, Washington DC, August 1992.
Salameh, E.: 1991, 'Overexploitation and Salinazation of Groundwater', in A. Garber and E. Salameh, Water Pollution in Jordan, (eds.). Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Amman, pp. 85–95.
Salameh, E. and Bannayan, H.: 1993, Water Resources of Jordan present Status and Future Potentials, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and RSCN, Amman.
Shatanawi, M., Al-Jayousi, O. and Abu-Orabi, G.: 1994, 'Water Rights in Jordan', in Tradable Water Rights, ISPAN publication, Virginia, U.S.A.
WAJ (Water Authority of Jordan): 1996, 1997, Annual Reports, Amman, Jordan (in Arabic).
Wolf, A. T.: 1995, Hydropolitics Along the Jordan River, United Nations University Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Weshah, R.A. Optimal Use of Irrigation Water in the Jordan Valley: A Case Study. Water Resources Management 14, 327–338 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011152318711
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1011152318711