Irrigation performance indicators based on remotely sensed data: a review of literature

Bastiaanssen, W.G.M.; Bos, M.G.

Irrigation performance indicators based on remotely sensed data: a review of literature

1999

Bastiaanssen, W.G.M. | Bos, M.G.

The earlier generation of irrigation performance indicators was based on canal flow data. Commonly, they quantify performance in a command area downstream of a discharge measurement device. Remote sensing determinants, such as actual evapo-transpiration, soil water content and crop growth reflect the overall water utilization at a range of scales, up to field level. Crop evapo-transpiration includes water originating from irrigation supply, water from precipitation, groundwater and water withdrawn from the unsaturated zone. Hence, this is a refinement in spatial scale as compared to the classically collected flow measurements, and describes moreover depletion from all water resources. If these possibilities are well implemented, we expect that a new generation of irrigation performance indicators can be quantified in a cost-effective manner. Especially, because satellite measurements pave a way to standardize data collection between different irrigation schemes and among different countries at costs which are currently decreasing. These challenges can only turn into a success if irrigation managers are involved in pilot projects and demonstration studies exploring satellite data.

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