STATE OF THE ART IN IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT
Naty Barak
Head of Sustainable Development
Water Management in Scarcity Regions: The Experience of Israel
Forum del Mediterraneo, February 26th 2010
1
AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Product R&D
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
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Global Environmental Awareness
2/3 of Earth’ Surface is Water
97.5% Salty Water 2.5% Fresh Water
68.9% Ice29.9%
Underground0.9 Swamp
0.3%Rivers & Lakes
0.007% of Total is Available
3
70% of the available water goes to agriculture
4Source: Blue Planet Run, R. Smolan, 2008
Water consumption for agriculture in the supply chain:
� 1 Pair of jeans: 4100 liters
� 1 T shirt: 2700 liters
� 1 Glass of beer: 75 liters
� Apple: 70 liters
� 1 Liter of milk: 1000 liter
� Kg of rice: 3400 liter
� 1 Cup of tea: 30 liter
� 1 Slice of bread: 40 liter
� 1 Kg beef: 15,000 liter
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Moses led us to Israel, but did not pass on his technology to us…
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Netafim™ at a glance:
� Born out of a need to save water and make the Israeli desert bloom
� Simcha Blass and Kibbutz Hatzerim founded Netafim in1965 with the concept of drip irrigation
� Ag2Ag Business(Farmers to farmers)
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• Water supply is shrinking• Greater climate variability• Pollution of water sources
Two main reasons for the increase in demand for water:• Population growth (Tripled between 1960 to 2007)• Increase in standard of living
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2400
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Potable water resources Potable water demand
A growing shortfall betweenIsrael’s water supply and demand
MCM/Year
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Israel’s solutions
New water sources
� Wastewater Recycling
� Using brackish water
� Desalination
Efficient usage of water
� Products & systems
� Management
Water tariff structure
By 2020 marginal & wastewater used for
agriculture can make up to 60%, releasing fresh water for
other uses. (“produced” water rather than “collected”)
% wastewater of total water used for agriculture
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AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Product R&D
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
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Reused effluent in Israel inrelation to other countries
0%
10%
Israel Spain Australia Italy Greece C Europe
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
<1%5%8%9%12%
75%
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Why recycle?� Limited new water sources
� Relieves potable water demand
� Reduces pollution to rivers and estuaries
– Improves potable water quality
– Restores river/lake levels/wetlands
– Offers reliable water supply (drought-proof)
– Restores groundwater levels
– Lowers cost to users compared with other alternatives (importing water)
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Obstacles to water reuse
� Cost of treatment and distribution
� Public perception
� No regulatory guidance
� Inexpensive alternative water supplies
� Needed storage capacity between seasons
� But:
� No technical problem
� Municipality’s obligation for basic treatment of wastewater results in lower costs for further treatments
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Dan region WWTP and reclamation-160 MCM/Y transferred to the south for agriculture
2.0 million p.e.
160,000,000 cu.m/year
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A local treatment facility in a southern suburb
There are many local treatment facilities in Israel, differing in technology, size and output.
The water is used for local landscaping and agriculture.
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AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Product R&D
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
1616
Precise irrigation reserves resources
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0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
דד
מ Grow More with Less -Irrigation efficiency in Israel
Water for agriculture Crop yield
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1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2100 2200
MCM
Annual water use in Israel
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The challenge
New and improved technologies are needed:
� To handle poor quality and saline water
� To increase water efficiency
� To monitor and Minimize Usage of Chemicals and nutrients, reducing water source pollution
� To save energy
� To prevent soil erosion
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AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Product R&D
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
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Handling saline & poor quality water
� Drippers with shorter & wider flow path (High turbulence)
� Water source (infield) filtration
� Integral filtration and self cleaning of the dripper
� Non Leakage mechanism
� Pulse & Low Flow systems
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Low flow & Low Pressure irrigation systemLow pressure systems (LPS)
Pulse irrigation systems
� With low flow, longer pulses reduce inaccuracies
� Lower energy requirements
� Better water distribution
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clayeyClay-Heavy Sandy Loam- Medium Sandy- light
Gravity
Capillary
Pulse irrigation systemsLower flow rate: less gravity, better horizontal water distribution
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AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Product R&D
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
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Sub Surface Drip Irrigation (SDI)
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Sub Surface Drip Irrigation (SDI)
� Less evaporation – additional 10% to 15% water saving
� Protection from damages, vandalism & animals
� Water and nutrients available directly to root zone
� Deep SDI keeps surface dry, prevents weeds, increases water savings
� SDI advantages when using wastewater:– Reduces surface contamination
– Prevents contact with fruit
– Prevents wild animals from drinking the water
– Disposal of effluent
– “Nutrients Inside”
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Technology developed for SDI:
� Burying machinery
� Built-in physical barrier to prevent root intrusion
� Chemical treatment to prevent root intrusion
� Anti-Siphon drippers
� Maintenance routines to prevent clogging
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AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Dripper Technology
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
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CMT - Crop Management Technology� Effective irrigation and fertigation processes require the integration of intelligent
planning, managerial and maintenance practices
� Valuable, real-time field data result in technologies that benefit farmers, letting them
control and manage their crops
� A platform for central management of multiple farms
� Local or remote
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CMT - Crop Management Technology
� Can run separate protocol for each individual grower
� Agronomic management is conducted through integration of three main tools– Controllers
– Sensors
– Knowledge
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Sensors
Dendrometer: Stem diameter measurement
� Plant’s shrinkage & expansion
� Stress detection & plant growing patterns
� Adjusting irrigation schedule according to plant’s needs
Tensiometer
Capacitance technologyMonitors the volumetric water content (VWC) of the soil
Fertilizer Meter
Leaf thickness sensor monitors leaf turgor
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Evapotranspiration (ETo)
� Transpiration - evaporation of water
from plant canopy directly into the
atmosphere.
� Evapotranspiration - sum of
transpiration and water evaporated
from the soil.
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Evapotranspiration (ETo)
� Calculated ETo rather than class A pan is widely used in calculating
irrigation needs in Israel
� Irrigation scheduling is based on Crop Factor (Kc), and on daily
climate data that includes maximum & minimum temperature, relative
humidity, global radiation and wind velocity.
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Weather station� Sensors:
– Air temperature
– Relative humidity
– Solar radiation
– Wind speed
– Rain gauge
– Wind direction
– Soil temperature
� Calculations: – Evapotranspiration (ETo)
– Dew point
– Brightness
– Max. wind speed
– Open fields or greenhouse applications
– Irrigation scheduling
– Disease prediction models
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AGENDA
Wastewater Recycling
Irrigation Technology
Dripper Technology
Sub Surface Drip Irrigation
Management
Cost, Subsidies, Pricing & Regulation
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Water creation and production costs
$0.61
0.44 0.340.170.12
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
Sea Water
Desalination
Brackish
Water
Desalination
Treated
Water
Desalination
Treated
Water
Natural
Water
Higher water costs caused by entry into the era of desalination requires a wise tariff policy
Production cost of 1 m³ in Israel
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Higher water prices for agriculture in Israel over the years have contributed to more efficient use of water and the adoption of advanced technologies
$M^3
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
fresh water water price
Fresh water used in agriculture vs. water price
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Subsidies & pricing policies currently in implementation
� Incentives for establishment of treatment facilities
� Incentives for establishment of reservoirs & storage facilities
� Grants and loans for water related R&D
� Tariff policy
Water Price ($)
0.200.16
0.31
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.4
Sec
onda
ryef
fluen
t
Dan
Reg
ion
WW
PT
Fresh
water
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Government grants for efficiency & savings in water (Since October 2007)
� Aimed at farmers that were hit by price increase of water for agriculture use
� Managed by a joint committee of Ministry of Agriculture, Water Authority & Ministry of Finance
� Up to 70% of the investment in the following items:– Systems to collect drainage & roof water in greenhouses
– Filtration systems for brackish and wastewater
– Irrigation automation and management tools, tensiometers & dendrometers
– Non return valves
– Main network rehabilitation
– Water recycling systems
– Reducing evaporation – Wind protection, shading, Sub Surface drip irrigation
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Cost effectiveness and accessibility on small and large scale
Drokasa, Peru, 3000 Ha. Grapes, asparagus & avocadoAprox. $5000/Ha for last phase of 1500 Ha. (1000 asparagus & 500 avocado)
Swaziland6100 Ha. Sugar CaneAprox. $2450/Ha.
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Cost effectiveness and accessibility on small and large scale
Niamey-Niger, 900 X 500 m² vegetables
Aprox. $200 / 500 m²
Japan
8 Ha. Glasshouse, tomatoes
Aprox. $300,000 / Ha. For Irrigation, control & Water recycling
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Cost estimates & ROI
Cost per Hectare, based on small / medium plots (5 Ha.)
Water Source Crop Spacing Cost / Ha.
Citrus 5m $2,600Vineyard 3m $2550 *
Vegetables 1.5m $4,750Citrus 5m $2,000
Vineyard 3m $2,200Vegetables 1.5m $4,000
River / Canal
Well
Cost per Hectare, based on large plots (100 Ha.)
Water Source Crop Spacing Cost / Ha.
Citrus 5m $1,800Vineyard 3m $2,000
Vegetables 2.5m $2,500Vegetables 1.5m $3,000
Cotton 1.93m $2600 *Sugar Cane 1.80m $2500 *
Well
* Lower cost due to lower irrigation rate * Lower cost: SDI allows for a lower wall thickness
- Cost is based on infield systems, when water source is at the head of the field
- ROI under average conditions is 3 to 4 years
- When an investment in infrastructure is needed ROI will be higher
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Cost estimates & ROI
Factors effecting cost:• Irrigation rate needs
• Water quality – water source
• Distance from water source
• Type of dripper
• SDI allows for lower wall thickness
CMT: rule of thumb – 5% to 10% of cost of irrigation system
Factors effecting ROI:• High costs of water, energy
• Existing yields
• Market prices for crops
Type of investment - effect on cost & return:• Rain fed to Drip: High cost of infrastructure, Very high increase in yield
• Flood or furrow to drip: Medium cost of infrastructure, high increase in yield
• Sprinkler to drip: Low cost of infrastructure, Med / high increase in yield
Relative value of project benefits
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Cost estimates & ROI – Family Drip System
- Cost per Hectare, based on Family Drip System
- 20 units @ $200 each
Water Source Crop Spacing Cost / Ha.
ROI / years
River / canal Vegetables 1.5m $4,000 1
45Logo_295blu_W_Tagline
Yield and Revenue from five vegetable species, each planted in a 500m² plot and irrigated with a conventional and with a Family Drip System in Niame y-Niger
Values are the total of two (June-Oct. and Nov.-April) production seasons per year
Crop Conventional FDS Revenue Increase
Yield (Kg)
Revenue ($)
Yield (Kg)
Revenue ($)
% $
Tomatoes 2000 1215 7,200 6171 508 4956
Melons 2000 999 2950 1685 167 686
Eggplants 3000 1392 8150 4657 335 3265
Lettuce 2000 928 7800 5013 540 4085
Cabbage 3000 1070 11200 4800 449 3730
The Niamey-Niger FDS
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The Israeli Arava Desert� 4,500 ha. producing 65% of vegetable exports from Israel
� Rainfall can be as little as 20 mm/year
� Water salinity X3 (600 to 1500 mg/l)
� Several local treatment facilities
47Alexandra Boulat
Every drop counts
THANK YOU
Head of Sustainable Development
Naty Barak