Optimal Management of Irrigation Water Allocation and Cropping Pattern Utilizing Conjunctive Use of Surface and Subsurface Water Resources

Limitations of rainfall and surface water resources farmers have to use both surface and subsurface resources for growing different crops. In this study optimal management of irrigation water allocation and cropping pattern utilizing conjunctive use of surface and subsurface water resources is studied. Also the effect of reducing water consumption in different growth stages with different irrigation strategies for major crops (wheat, barely, corn, sugar beet, rice) in Fars province was studied. The results of the study showed that optimal cropping pattern for the first season would be mainly wheat and in the second season would be corn and rice. Also in this model different policies for decreasing water demand were studied. Since crop water requirement in the second season is higher than the first season, therefore restriction on including high water consuming crops in the second season would be the best choice in the cropping pattern.